New Delhi: Tri-services bands perform during the beating the retreat ceremony
Highlights
- Lata Mangeshkar's famous patriotic song, 'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon' was played at Vijay Chowk.
- The entry band played the ‘Veer Sainik’ tune, followed by Pipes & Drums Band.
- Beating the Retreat dates back to the days when troops disengaged from a battle at sunset.
On the beating retreat ceremony this year, military bands played Lata Mangeshkar's famous patriotic song, 'Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon' at the Rasina Hill's Vijay Chowk in the national capital. President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Army chief Manoj Mukund Naravane, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar and Air Force chief Air Marshal V R Chaudhari and various other dignitaries were present at the ceremony.
The entry band played the ‘Veer Sainik’ tune, followed by Pipes & Drums Band, CAPF Band, Air Force Band, Naval Band, Army Military Band and Massed Bands. Commander Vijay Charles D’Cruz was the principal conductor of the ceremony.
A centuries-old military tradition, Beating the Retreat dates back to the days when troops disengaged from a battle at sunset. As soon as the buglers sounded the retreat, the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield.
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.
With a note of serenity, ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’ song concluded the event and the gathering slowly dispersed.
The Beating the Retreat ceremony marked the end of Republic Day celebrations that started this year a day early with Parakram Divas on January 23 to mark birth anniversary of Subash Chandra Bose.
(With PTI Inputs)
