What to expect at the Beating the Retreat ceremony

Indian compositions will dominate the Beating the Retreat ceremony this year as 19 of the 27 tunes to be played at the event on Wednesday, would be from local musicians.

IMAGE: India's Border Security Force soldiers, mounted on camels, stand as they take part in a full dress rehearsal for the Beating the Retreat ceremony in New Delhi. Photograph: Altaf Hussain/Reuters

“As many as 27 performances on the historic Vijay Chowk will enthral the spectators with captivating and foot-tapping music of the bands from the Indian Army, the Indian Navy, the Indian Air Force, the state police and Central Armed Police Force,” the defence ministry said in a release.

IMAGE: Members of the Indian military band take part in a full dress rehearsal for the Beating the Retreat ceremony . Photograph: Altaf Hussain/Reuters

“Out of the 27 performances, 19 tunes have been composed by Indian musicians, which are ‘Indian Star’, ‘Paharon ki Rani’, ‘Kumaoni Geet’, ‘Jai Janam Bhumi’, ‘Queen of Satpura’, ‘Marooni’, ‘Vijay’, ‘Soldier-My Valentine’, ‘Bhupal’, ‘Vijay Bharat’, ‘Aakash Ganga’, ‘Gangotri’, ‘Namaste India’, ‘Samudrika’, ‘Jai Bharat’, ‘Young India’, ‘Veerta Ki Misal’, ‘Amar Senani’ and ‘Bhumiputra’,” it further added.

IMAGE: Out of the 27 performances, 19 tunes have been composed by Indian musicians. Photograph: Altaf Hussain/Reuters

The eight western tunes planned to be played include ‘Fanfare by Buglers’, ‘Sound Barrier’, ‘Emblazoned’, ‘Twilight’, ‘Alert (Post Horn Gallop)’, ‘Space Flight’, ‘Drummers Call’ and ‘Abide with Me’.

The event will come to a close with the ever-popular tune of ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’, the ministry said.

IMAGE: Tri-services bands perform during the full dress rehearsal for Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

This year, 15 military bands, 15 pipes and drum bands from Regimental Centres and Battalions are participating in the ceremony.

One band each from the navy and the air force will also be part of the event.

IMAGE: This year, 15 military bands, 15 pipes and drum bands from Regimental Centres and Battalions are participating in the ceremony. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

Another band of the state police and CAPF comprising the Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Delhi Police will also take part in the ceremony.

IMAGE: Border Security Force camel contingent stands guard at Raisina Hills during the full dress rehearsal for the Beating Retreat ceremony. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

Beating the Retreat ceremony, organised at the Vijay Chowk on January 29 every year, marks the culmination of the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations.

IMAGE: President Ram Nath Kovind's mounted bodyguards arrive for the full dress rehearsal for the Beating Retreat ceremony. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

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

IMAGE: The ceremony traces its origins to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army developed the unique ceremony of display by the bands. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

'Beating the Retreat' marks a centuries-old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield and returned to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the Retreat.

IMAGE: Indian Air Force band performs during the rehearsal for Beating Retreat ceremony. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

IMAGE: The Indian President's Body Guards, mounted on their horses, are pictured in front of the illuminated Rashtrapati Bhavan presidential palace after taking part in a rehearsal for the Beating the Retreat ceremony. Photograph: Atlaf Hussain/Reuters

FIRST LOOK: Beating the Retreat ceremony