Rain briefly disrupts Guard of Honour ceremony for new President

Rain briefly marred the Guard of Honour ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan for newly sworn-in President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday.

As the contingents from the three defence services and a military band marched into the sprawling forecourt of the majestic Rashtrapati Bhavan for the ceremony, the clouds opened up.

After several minutes, when there was no sign of the rain letting up, the contingents moved back from the forecourt. It was decided to shift the ceremony to the Durbar Hall, which evoked protests from the waiting media persons, mostly visual media, as they were asked to wrap up since no media was to be allowed inside.

Just then, the rain stopped and the clouds parted. Soon, word came that the ceremony would be held in the forecourt as scheduled, evoking a cheer from the media persons.

Minutes later, the inter-services contingents and the band marched back into the forecourt and took their position in front of the dais.

Soon, President Kovind arrived in his buggy that was being pulled by six horses. He alighted and stood on the dais.

After the national anthem, the President inspected the Guard of Honour in an open jeep amid light drizzle. He then alighted and mounted his buggy which took him back inside the building.

Soon afterwards, the buggy came out from the northern gate with President Kovind and his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee in it.

Mukherjee was then given the ceremonial send off by President Kovind.

--IANS

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