• The Beating Retreat ceremony, a traditional event held every year on January 29, marked the official closure of the Republic Day celebrations.

• This year’s ceremony featured a special new composition ‘Swarnim Vijay’ to commemorate 50 years of victory in the 1971 war against Pakistan.

What is Beating Retreat ceremony?

• ‘Beating Retreat’ is a centuries old military tradition. It dates back to 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.

• The ceremony at the Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on January 29 every year marks the culmination of the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations. 

• The ceremony traces its origin to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands. 

• The chief guest of the function is the President of India who arrives in a cavalry unit escorted by President’s Bodyguard (PBG) personnel. 

• Military bands, pipes and drums bands, buglers and trumpeters from various Army regiments perform during the ceremony. Besides, there are bands from the Navy and Air Force. 

Highlights of this year’s ceremony

• Indian tunes were the flavour of this year’s ceremony.

• 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 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

• As many as 26 musical performances enthralled the audience at the historic Vijay Chowk.

• The entry band was a massed one with ‘Swarnim Vijay’ theme. It was a special new composition to commemorate 50 years of victory of India in the 1971 war against Pakistan that led to the creation of Bangladesh. A contingent of 122 soldiers of Bangladesh armed forces had participated in the Republic Day Parade on the Rajpath on January 26. India had last month started golden jubilee (Swarnim Vijay Varsh) celebrations commemorating the 1971 war victory.

• The ceremony ended with the ever-popular tune of ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’.

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