President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Beating Retreat ceremony at Kartavya Path in Delhi on Monday. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and several union ministers, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs, senior officials, besides the general public also attended the mega event.
The Beating Retreat ceremony marks the conclusion of the Republic Day celebrations.
31 captivating Indian tunes to be played at the ceremony
The Raisina Hills "will witness all-Indian tunes" which will be played during the Beating Retreat ceremony, the defence ministry had said in a statement on Sunday. "The music bands of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will play 31 captivating and foot-tapping Indian tunes before a distinguished audience," it had said.
Traffic arrangements around Vijay Chowk during ceremony
Earlier, the Delhi Police had made elaborate traffic arrangements for the ceremony. The Beating Retreat ceremony marks the formal end of the Republic Day celebrations. In an advisory issued on Friday, the police said traffic restrictions will be put in place from 2 pm to 9.30 pm on Monday and Vijay Chowk will remain closed to traffic.
Traffic will not be allowed on Rafi Marg between Sunehri Masjid roundabout and Krishi Bhawan roundabout, Raisina Road from Krishi Bhawan roundabout towards Vijay Chowk, beyond Dara Shikoh roundabout, Krishna Menon Marg roundabout and Sunehri Masjid towards Vijay Chowk, the advisory said.
Traffic will be restricted on Kartavya Path between Vijay Chowk and 'C' hexagon, it said. The commuters are advised to take alternative routes like Ring Road, Ridge Road, Aurobindo Marg, Madrasa T-Point, Lodhi Road, Safdarjung Road, Kamal Ataturk Marg, Rani Jhansi Road, and Minto Road, it said.
What is the Beating Retreat Ceremony?
The Beating Retreat ceremony traces its origins to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands. It marks a centuries-old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms, withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the retreat. Colours and Standards are cased and flags are lowered. The ceremony creates nostalgia for the times gone by, it said.
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