Magnificent Raisina Hills will resound with Bharatiya music today during beating retreat

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 29th Jan. A naval band will perform their song “Mission Chandrayaan” to celebrate Bharat’s moon landing. The audience will be treated to 31 captivating and hip Bharatiya songs performed by Army music bands.

The ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony, which concludes the nation’s 75th Republic Day celebrations, will feature all Bharatiya music as the sun sets on today in the picturesque Raisina Hills. 31 catchy and upbeat Bharatiya songs will be performed for the audience during the occasion by musical groups from the three Services and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). President Draupadi Murmu, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, will be present at the event. There will also be top officers, various Union ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar in attendance. The mass band will open the event with the song “Shankhanaad.” Then, the Pipes Band will play captivating songs like “Veer Bharat,” “Sangam Door,” “Deshon Ka Sartaj Bharat,” “Bhagirathi,” and “Arjun.” “Bharat Ke Jawan” and “Vijay Bharat” will be performed by CAPF bands.

The Indian Navy Band will perform “INS Vikrant,” “Mission Chandrayaan,” “Jai Bharati,” and “Hum Ready,” while the Indian Air Force Band will play songs like “Tiger Hill,” “Rejoice in Raisina,” and “Swadeshi.” ‘Hain’ is among the many songs that will be played. The Indian Army band will then play more songs, such as “Takat Watan,” “Agniveer,” “Kargil 1999,” and “Faulad Ka Jigar.” The collective band will next perform songs like “Drummers Call,” “Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon,” and “Kadam-Kadam Badhaaye Jaa.” The well-known song “Saare Jahan Se Achha” will be played when the show comes to a close.

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Lieutenant Colonel Vimal Joshi will lead the ceremonial conduct. Subedar Major Moti Lal will be leading the Army Band. In addition, the conductors will be Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar of the Indian Air Force and MCPO MUS II M Antony of the Indian Navy. Constable GD Rani Devi will be the CAPF band’s conductor. Subedar Major Rajendra Singh will give the orders for the Pipes and Drum Band, while Naib Subedar Umesh Kumar will lead the buglers in their performances. It represents the long-standing military custom of soldiers returning to their encampment after dusk and disarming to signal the end of the day’s fighting. As soon as military personnel exit the battlefield, their flags are pulled down. The ritual evokes recollections of military customs and bygone eras on the front lines.

The History of Beat Retreat

Beating Retreat is a military tradition that originated with an order issued by James II of England’s army in 1690, during the nascent stages of organized combat. To commemorate the end of a combat day, the troops lowered the flags, closed the gates, and paraded through the streets while beating drums. The term “beating retreat” originates from the sound of drums beating.

It’s interesting to note that the reason it was originally named “watch setting” was that the evening gun would fire a single round to start it at sunset.

Major Roberts of the Indian Army created the original “Beating Retreat” ceremonial in the 1950s through an indigenous mass band performance.