Rashtrapati Bhavan to resume change of guard ceremony from Oct 7

The Change of Guard ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan which was discontinued due to extreme weather conditions, will resume from October 7, a statement said on Thursday.

The 40-minute ceremony will be staged every Sunday from 5.30 p.m. to 6.10 p.m. between October 7 and November 14 and from 4.30 p.m. to 5.10 p.m. between November 15, 2018 and March 14, 2019.

The ceremony -- a military tradition taken forward by the President's Bodyguard and the Army Guard, will also continue to take place on every Saturday at its original timings from 10 a.m. to 10.40 a.m. between November 15, 2018 and March 14, 2019 and from 8 a.m. to 8.40 a.m. between March 15, 2019 and November 14, 2019.

The ceremony commences with the President's Bodyguard advancing from behind the Jaipur column, a monumental column in the middle of the courtyard in front of Rashtrapati Bhavan, to the tune of "Maa Tujhe Salaam", played by the Army Brass Band. The Army Guard contingent then marches in and the new guard replaces the old guard.

The day's ceremony ends with an equestrian display by the President's Bodyguards before they ride away towards the Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the National Anthem.

--IANS

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