• President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other Union ministers attended the Beating Retreat ceremony in New Delhi on January 29.

• The grand event hosted at the Vijay Chowk marks the culmination of the 75th Republic Day celebrations.

• Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs — Gen Manoj Pande, Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari and Admiral R. Hari Kumar — Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, senior officials, and the general public also attended the mega event.

• President Murmu arrived at the venue in the traditional buggy.

• The Raisina Hills in the heart of the national capital reverberated with the sound of captivating and foot-tapping Indian tunes played by military and paramilitary bands.

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. 

• The President’s Bodyguard (PBG), raised in 1773, is the senior most regiment of the Indian Army. It is a regiment carrying out ceremonial duties for the President of India. The PBG personnel are excellent horsemen, capable tank men and paratroopers.

• 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.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store