The Beating Retreat ceremony is held on January 29 every year to culminate the four-day long Republic Day celebrations. (Image: Twitter/@DDNational)
The ceremony is attended by the President, the Prime Minister and other high-level government dignitaries. (Image: Twitter/@DDNational)
Vijay Chowk coming to life with the Beating Retreat half a century ago i.e. in 1970. (Image: Twitter/@IAF_MCC)
The Beating Retreat ceremony was performed by the bands of the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF) along with the mass formation of bands of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Delhi Police. (Image: Twitter/DDNational)
The entry band was massed with Swarnim Vijay theme. It is a special new composition to commemorate 50 years of victory of India in the 1971 war against Pakistan. This was followed by Pipes & Drums Band, CAPF Bands, Air Force Band, Naval Band, Army Mil Band and Massed Bands. The event came to an end with the ever-popular tune of ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’. (Image: Twitter/DDNational)
Fifteen military bands and an equal number of pipes and drums bands from regimental centres and battalions participated in the ceremony. Besides, there were performances by one band each of the Navy, the Air Force and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). As many as 26 musical performances enthralled the audience at the historic Vijay Chowk. (Image: Twitter/@DDNational)
Beating Retreat is a centuries old military tradition dating from the days when troops disengaged from battle at Sunset. As soon as the buglers sounded the ‘retreat’, the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield. It is for this reason that the custom of standing still during the sounding of retreat has been retained to this day. Colours and standards are cased and flags lowered at retreats. (Image: Twitter/@DDNational)
Drumbeats are recall of the days when troops, billeted in towns and cities were recalled to their quarters at an appointed time in the evening. Based on these military traditions, the ceremony of “Beating Retreat” creates a mood of nostalgia of the times gone by. (Image: Twitter/@DDNational)
