New Delhi: The Beating Retreat ceremony kicked off at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on Sunday, marking the formal end of this year’s Republic Day celebrations.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, Chief of Army Staff Manoj Pande and Admiral R. Hari Kumar arrived at Vijay Chowk for the Beating Retreat ceremony.
Several spectators gathered at Vijay Chowk, braving the rains in Delhi, to witness the Beating Retreat ceremony.
During the event, Air Force band band formed a formation representing 'Charkha'(spinning wheel) and a rendition of 'Ishwar Jan ko' followed this formation. The Naval band displayed a formation of 'Varunastra' and 'Charkha' and performed a wide array of tunes. The Pipes and Drum band presented Almora composed by NK Jaman Singh.
Notably, tunes based on Indian classical music will be the flavour of the Beating Retreat ceremony which will also include the country’s “biggest drone show” comprising 3,500 indigenous drones, officials had earlier said. For the first time, a 3-D anamorphic projection will be done on the facade of North Block and South Block during the grand ceremony at Vijay Chowk, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.
Notably, the Beating Retreat 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.