Beating Retreat ceremony to feature new rendition to mark 1971 victory

The 'Beating Retreat' ceremony on Friday will feature a special new composition 'Swarnim Vijay' to commemorate 50 years of victory in the 1971 war against Pakistan.

Indian tunes will be the flavour of this year's ceremony that brings the curtains down on the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations, a statement said.

Fifteen military bands and an equal number of pipes and drums bands from regimental centres and battalions will be participating in the ceremony. Besides, there will be one band each of the Navy, the Air Force and Central Armed Police Forces.

As many as 26 musical performances will enthral the spectators at the historic Vijay Chowk.

"The entry band will be a massed one with 'Swarnim Vijay' theme. It will be a special new composition to commemorate 50 years of victory of India in the 1971 war against Pakistan," the statement said.

This will be followed by pipes and drums bands, and the bands of CAPF, Air Force, Navy, Army and massed bands.

The ceremony will end with the ever-popular tune of'Sare Jahan se Acha'.

The principal conductor of the "Beating the Retreat" ceremony will be Lt Col Girish Kumar U of AEC Training College and Centre.

'Beating Retreat' is a centuries old military tradition. It dates back to the days when troops disengaged from battle at sunset. As soon as the buglers sounded the 'retreat', the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield.