31 all-Indian tunes to reverberate at Beating Retreat ceremony today
Republic Day celebrations will culminate on Monday evening with the Beating Retreat ceremony at Raisina Hills, New Delhi, featuring 31 captivating Indian tunes played by military and paramilitary bands. The music bands from the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) will perform at the event. Among the audience would be President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Why does this story matter?
Beating Retreat commemorates a centuries-old military tradition in which troops disengaged from the battlefield at sunset with the sound of "retreat." Major Roberts of the Indian Army adopted this ceremony in India in the early 1950s. However, the ceremony was embroiled in controversy in 2022 as the British hymn Abide with Me, believed to be Mahatma Gandhi's favorite, was dropped. Amid widespread criticism, the central government said it was done as part of the "ongoing process of decolonizing India."
Ceremony to begin with 'Shankhnaad' tune
Beginning with the Shankhnaad tune, the ceremony will showcase tunes like Veer Bharat, Sangam Dur, Deshon Ka Sartaj Bharat, Bhagirathi, and Arjuna by pipes and drums band. The CAPF bands will play tunes such as Bharat Ke Jawan and Vijay Bharat. The Air Force band will perform Tiger Hill, Rejoice In Raisina, and Swadeshi, while the Indian Navy band will play INS Vikrant, Mission Chandrayaan, Jai Bharati, and Hum Tayyar Hain.
'Kargil 1999' on Army band's playlist
After the Air Force and Navy bands' performances, the Army band will play tunes like Faulad Ka Jigar, Agniveer, Kargil 1999, and Taqat Watan. The Massed Bands will then perform tunes such as Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja, Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon, and Drummers Call. According to the statement by the Defence Ministry, the event will conclude with the ever-popular tune of Sare Jahan Se Acha.
There will be the conductors at the helm
The principal conductor of the ceremony will be Lieutenant Colonel Vimal Joshi. Subedar Major Moti Lal, Master Chief Petty Officer Musician Second Class M Antony, Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar, and Constable GD Ranidevi conducting the Army, Navy, Air Force, and CAPF bands, respectively. The Buglers will perform under Naib Subedar Umesh Kumar's leadership, while the Pipes and Drums band will play under Subedar Major Rajender Singh's instructions.
What was the 2022 controversy?
Abide with Me, am 1847 hymn written by Henry Francis Lyte, was removed from the 2022 ceremony to make way for an "Indian" playlist. It was replaced by the Hindi song Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon, which commemorates Indian soldiers who died in the 1962 war with China. The defense spokesperson said the Hindi song was connected to the masses. However, critics disagreed, saying the hymn had been part of the Republic Day commemorations since the 1950s and should've remained.
