Delhi, January 29: The Beating Retreat ceremony took place at Vijay Chowk in Delhi on Wednesday evening, marking the conclusion of the four-day Republic Day celebrations. Military bands from the three armed forces and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) performed 30 patriotic tunes in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu.
The event was attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, and other dignitaries, along with a large public gathering. The buildings around Vijay Chowk were illuminated with vibrant lights for the occasion.
The ceremony began with the National Salute to the President, followed by the hoisting of the Tricolour and the playing of the national anthem. The bands of the three forces opened the event with the iconic tune ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’.
A special formation of “Map of India” was created by the Pipes and Drums band while playing ‘Amar Bharati’. The CAPF band performed ‘Vijay Bharat’, and the Indian Air Force presented the ‘Galaxy Rider’ tune, composed by retired Wing Commander G. Jayachandran.
Other formations by the military bands included “Kauravas-Pandavas,” “Saluting Soldiers,” “A Tree in Honour of Mother,” and “Chakravyuh.” The event was led by Commander Manoj Sebastian.
The ceremony concluded with the rendition of ‘Saare Jahan Se Achha’. As a tradition, all bandmasters approached the President for permission to withdraw their bands, officially marking the end of the event.
Impressive formations included battle formations of Chakra Vyuh and Makar Vyuh, along with the themes of 75 years of the Constitution and Ek Ped Maa ke Naam.
This captivating display of India’s diverse culture paid tributes to the valour and sacrifice of the Armed Forces, as… pic.twitter.com/KxuHf7qXNL
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 29, 2025
