1,000 drones, foot-tapping music, and soulful renditions were witnessed at Vijay Chowk on Saturday as the Republic Day celebrations culminated with the Beating Retreat ceremony by the bands of the armed forces and central and state police contingents.
1,000 Made in India drones made different formations for the Beating Retreat ceremony, at Vijay Chowk. A number of Indian-origin tunes were part of this year's ceremony on January 29. The 26 tunes that were played at this year's ceremony include 'Hey Kanchha', 'Channa Bilauri', 'Jai Janam Bhumi', 'Nritya Sarita', 'Vijay Josh', 'Kesaria Banna', 'Veer Siachen', 'Hathroi', 'Vijay Ghosh', 'Ladaakoo', 'Swadeshi', 'Amar Chattan', 'Golden Arrows' and 'Swarn Jayanti', according to the brochure. The ceremony saw the participation of 44 buglers, 16 trumpeters and 75 drummers. According to an advisory, traffic restrictions were put in place on Saturday from 2 pm to 9.30 pm.
Beating Retreat is a centuries-old military tradition dating from the days when troops disengaged from the battle at sunset. As soon as the buglers sounded the retreat, the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield, it added.
Beating Retreat marks the end of nearly week-long festivities of Republic Day, which used to begin on January 24. But this year, the celebrations will begin on January 23, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
Ahead of Bose's 125th birth anniversary, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Friday announced that a grand statue of the iconic freedom fighter will be installed at India Gate as a symbol of India's "indebtedness" to him. Till the statue, made of granite, is completed, a hologram statue of his would be present at the same place, he said, adding that he will unveil the hologram statue on Sunday.
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