Classical Ragas to be played in ‘Beating the Retreat Ceremony 2023

New Delhi, 28 Jan 2023: Indian tunes based on Indian Classical Ragas will be the flavor of the ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony this year which will be graced by President and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces Smt Droupadi Murmu, at the historic Vijay Chowk in the heart of New Delhi on January 29, 2023.

Classical Ragas to be played in ‘Beating the Retreat Ceremony 2023

As many as 29 captivating and foot-tapping Indian tunes will be played by the music bands of the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the State Police, and the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF).

The ceremony, which will have the august presence of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, will also witness the country’s biggest Drone Show, comprising 3,500 indigenous drones. The magnificent drone show will light up the evening sky over the Raisina hills, weaving myriad forms of national figures/events through smooth synchronization.

It will depict the success of the start-up ecosystem, and the technological prowess of the country’s youth and pave the way for future path-breaking trends. The event will be organized by M/s Botlabs Dynamics.

For the first time, a 3-D anamorphic projection will be organized during Beating Retreat Ceremony 2023 on the façade of the North and South Block.

The Ceremony will begin with the massed band

The Ceremony will begin with the massed band’s  ‘Agniveer’ tune which will be followed by enthralling tunes like ‘Almora’, ‘Kedar Nath, ‘Sangam Dur’, ‘Queen of Satpura’, ‘Bhagirathi’, ‘Konkan Sundari’ by Pipes and Drums band.   

Indian Air Force’s band will play ‘Aprajey Arjun’, ‘Charkha’, ‘Vayu Shakti’, ‘Swadeshi’, while fascinating  ‘Ekla Cholo Re’, ‘Hum Taiyyar Hai’, and ‘Jai Bharati’ will be played by the band of Indian Navy.

The Indian Army’s band will play ‘Shankhnaad’, ‘Sher-e-Jawan’, ‘Bhupal’, ‘Agranee Bharat’, ‘Young India’,   ‘Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja’, ‘Drummers Call’, and ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’.

The event will come to a close with the ever-popular tune of ‘Sare Jahan se Acha’.

The principal conductor of the ceremony will be Flight Lieutenant Leimapokpam Rupachandra Singh. While the Army Band will be led by Sub Maj Digger Singh, the Naval and Air Force band commanders will be M Anthony Raj and Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar. The conductor of the State Police and CAPF bands will be Asstt Sub Inspector Prem Singh.

The Buglers will perform under the leadership of Naib Subedar Santosh Kumar Pandey, and the pipes and drums band will play under the instructions of Subedar Major Baswaraj Vagge.

The ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony at the Vijay Chowk on January 29th every year marks the culmination of the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations. It has emerged as an event of national pride when the Colours and Standards are paraded.

The ceremony traces its origins to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands. It marks a centuries-old military tradition when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield, and returned to the camps at sunset at the sound of the Retreat. Colors and Standards are cased and flags are lowered. The ceremony creates nostalgia for the times gone by.

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