Century old military tradition — “Beating the Retreat” marked the end of Rashtriya Parv 69th Republic Day on Monday.
Sunset, cool breeze and the drummers with their signature “feet shuffle” to “side slide” moves, the bands of the Armed Forces cast a magical spell at Vijay Chowk with the symphonies flowed from the musical instruments.
This year, 18 military bands, 15 pipes and drums bands from regimental centres and battalions participated. Major Ashok Kumar was the principal conductor of the ceremony.
The ceremony is an old tradition dating from the days when troops disengaged from battle at sunset. There is believe that as soon as the buglers sounded the “Retreat”, the troops cased fighting, Sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield.
This year, “Abide With me” was the solo western tune played and the event concluded with a soothing ever-popular Sare Jahan Se Acha Hindostan hamara.
The historic event enthralled spectators with mesmerised and captivating with the music of bands of tri-services and Para militaries.
Out of the 26 performances, 25 tunes have been composed by Indian musicians, which are ‘Indian Soldiers’, ‘Jhelum’, ‘Aj Diya Rati’, ‘Herana Herana’, ‘Nritya Sarita’, ‘Kundan Singa’, ‘Mayur Nritya’, ‘Manohar’, ‘Natraj’, ‘Battle of the Sky’, ‘Sitare Hind’, ‘Mushkoh Valley’, ‘Giri Raj’, ‘Tejas’, ‘Gagan Shakti’, ‘The Great Marshal’, ‘The Brave Warriors’, ‘INS Nilgiri’, ‘Namaste India’, ‘Jai Bharti’, ‘Amrit Wani’, ‘Veer Gorkha’ and ‘Shere-E-Jawan’, while ‘Power of Sound’ and ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ are two new compositions.
Ramesh Chand, the Master Chief Petty Officer from Indian Navy and Ashok Kumar Junior Warrant Officer of Air Force were leading their bands.
In 2017, 16 Military Bands, 16 Pipes and Drums Bands from Regimental Centres and Battalions participated in Beating the Retreat ceremony.
The ceremony has emerged as an event of national pride and originated to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands. ‘Beating Retreat’ marks a centuries old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the Retreat.