Rain fails to dampen Beating Retreat spirit: 10 points

Rain failed to beat the spirit of Beating Retreat ceremony at iconic Vijay Chowk in Delhi amid a grand event.

President Droupadi Murmu – the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces – is attending her first Beating Retreat ceremony, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.Classical ragas set the mood and invoked the spirit of patriotism as the Republic Day celebrations conclude on a high note.

Here are ten points on the Beating Retreat ceremony:

1) At the grand drone show, the success of start-up ecosystem, technological prowess in the country are on display. Organised by Botlabs Dynamics, the magnificent drone show is expected to light up the evening sky over the Raisina hills. 3,500 drones are a part of the country’s biggest drone show, as per a government statement.

2) In a first, a three-dimensional anamorphic projection during the event on the facade of North and South blocks was among the highlights. Anamorphic sensors are speciality tools that affect how images get projected.

3) ‘Agniveer’ was the first of the 29 tunes during the event, that was followed by the enthralling tunes like ‘Almora’, ‘Kedar Nath, ‘Sangam Dur’, ‘Queen of Satpura’, ‘Bhagirathi’, ‘Konkan Sundari’ by Pipes and Drums band.

4) At the event music bands of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force and the State Police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) demonstrated their talent soaked in the spirit of patriotism. “Indian Air Force’s band will play ‘Aprajey Arjun’, ‘Charkha’, ‘Vayu Shakti’, ‘Swadeshi’, while fascinating ‘Ekla Cholo Re’, ‘Hum Taiyyar Hai’, and ‘Jai Bharati’ will be played by the band of Indian Navy. The Indian Army’s band will play ‘Shankhnaad’, ‘Sher-e-Jawan’, ‘Bhupal’, ‘Agranee Bharat’, ‘Young India’, ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’, ‘Drummers Call’, and ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon,” a government statement highlighted.

5) The Beating Retreat ceremony marks the culmination of the four-day Republic Day celebrations.

6) As per the statement by the Ministry of Defence, “The ceremony traces its origins to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands. It 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. Colours and Standards are cased and flags lowered. The ceremony creates nostalgia for the times gone by.”

7) On Saturday, PM Modi had reviewed the march-past by the National Cadet Corps (NCC). He also released a special commemorative coi ear of ₹75.

8) “In the last 8 years, the number of daughters has increased two times in Police and Paramilitary forces. In all three branches of the armed forces, women are being posted on frontlines,” PM Modi said, hailing women power.

9) “For the youth of India, this is a time of new opportunities. Everyone is talking about India, saying ‘India’s time has come’. This can be attributed to the youth of India,” he further said.

10) Earlier this week, the country had celebrated its 74th Republic Day in a grand manner.