Creating a mood of nostalgia for the times gone by, a 'Beating Retreat' ceremony was sounded in the presence of the Supreme Commander of India's armed forces, President Pranab Mukherjee, the three service chiefs and a host of dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening.
The ceremony, held at the Vijay Chowk here, marked the culmination of this year's Republic Day celebrations.
Beating Retreat is a military ceremony dating back to ancient times in the Indian context. It was used to recall warring soldiers at sunset after the day's battle to rest and refresh for the next day.
In modern times, in India, the ceremony was started in the early 1950s, when Major Roberts of the Indian Army developed the idea of a martial music display by massed bands, comprising of military bands, pipes and drums bands, buglers and trumpeters from various army regiments, besides naval and air force bands
Thursday's 'Beating Retreat' ceremony so the participation of 25 bands of the three services - Army, Air Force and Navy - including 15 military bands, 10 pipes and drums bands from regimental centers, 8 pipes and drums bands from various battalions, and one band each from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force.
This year's ceremony started with the arrival first of the three service chiefs - Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, Admiral Robin Dhowan and General Dalbir Singh. They were followed by Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari and finally President Pranab Mukherjee escorted by the President's Body Guard (PBG), the Indian Army's oldest regiment.
The President's arrival was announced by a 'Fanfare By Buglers' sounded by trumpeters of the Brigade of the Guards. It was followed by the commander of the PBG asking his unit to give the National Salute, and followed by the playing of the National Anthem by the massed bands, and the unfurling of the tricolor. This year's ceremony was special in that for the first time, a woman army officer unfurled the national flag at Vijay Chowk. Everyone stood at rapt attention for this part of the ceremony.
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Spectators were left mesmerized during the over hour-long programme, which was supervised by principal conductor Major Girish Kumar U. It contained 25 martial instrumental pieces, including 13 Quick March Tunes, 3 Slow March Tunes, 1 Strathspey, 1 Reel, 3 Fanfare, 1 Fusion, 1 Ostinato, 1 Traditional, 1 Hymn and 1 Quick March at the end.
Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Justice of India H.L. Dattu, several Union Ministers and former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh were among those present on the occasion.
The popular martial tunes played by the massed band included Deshon ka Sartaj Bharat; Vir Bharat; Chhana Bilauri; Jai Janam Bhumi; Cutty's Wedding; Piper O' Drummond and Gorkha Brigade.
The Indian Navy and Indian Air Force bands particularly played some soul-thrilling tunes such as Ocean Splendour; Blue Field; Battle of the Sky; Anandloke (a composition by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore); Dashing Desh and Flying Star.
The military bands played Glorious India; Bhupal;; Indian Soldiers; Hathroi; Salam to The Soldiers and Giri Raj.
The massed bands then returned with Athulya Bharat; Drummers' Call and Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymn 'Abide with Me'.
Thereafter, a retreat was sounded by the Buglers stationed atop North and South Blocks on Raisina Hill as the sun set. The martial bands then exited with the popular composition 'Sare Jahan Se Acha.
The national anthem was played and the tricolour smartly brought down by the woman army officer and her two colleagues.
This was followed by the illumination of all key buildings along the Rajpath and the departure of dignitaries in sequence.
In a departure from established protocol, Prime Minister Modi moved towards the crowds on either side of Vijay Chowk to greet them with a wave before leaving the venue.
Principal Conductor Major Girish Kumar U was assisted by four other conductors.