Bhopal. The Republic Day celebrations in Madhya Pradesh will conclude with the “Beating the Retreat” ceremony on January 29. The ceremony will be organized at the Lal Parade Ground in Jahangirabad at 4:30 pm in the chief hospitality of Governor Mangubhai Patel.
On Wednesday, the final rehearsal of the “Beating the Retreat” program was conducted in the evening under the guidance of Inspector General of Police Irshad Wali. The role of chief guest was played by Rajmani Singh Baghel, head constable of the seventh battalion. On this occasion, Deputy Inspector General of Police Central Zone SAF Omprakash Tripathi, Fighter 7th Corps Hitesh Chaudhary and other officers and employees of the police department were present.
In the “Beating the Retreat” programme, there will be a concert by the Police Band, display by the Police Brass Band and Army Band and a musical and beautiful performance by the Pipe Band.
The program will begin on Thursday, January 29 at 4:30 pm with the arrival of Governor Mangubhai Patel. Then, along with classical tunes, musical presentation of songs from new and old Hindi films will be given by the Police Brass Band. Band-wise and group presentations will also be given while marching by the police band and army band. After the band performance, pistol/LMG fire, colorful lighting and fireworks will be the center of attraction followed by the flag lowering ceremony by the guard.
It is noteworthy that Beating Retreat is an ancient military tradition that has been in practice since the days when soldiers in battle would stop fighting at or shortly after sunset. As soon as the sound of retreat was given from the bugles, the fighting soldiers would put down their weapons and move away from the battlefield, hence the colours, standard cover and flags are lowered on retreat. The ceremony includes a mixture of martial music and a band concert, followed by the Sound of Retreat.
The Beating the Retreat ceremony marks the conclusion of the Republic Day celebrations in modern India. Beating the Retreat is organized every year on the evening of 29 January i.e. the third day of Republic Day. This ceremony takes place only in the national capital New Delhi and Bhopal. During this time, a band concert is organized in which patriotic, folk music, Indian classical music and popular music are played. After this, after a short break, a band display is done by the Madhya Pradesh Police Band and a popular marching tune is played, the drummers also do a separate performance (called drummer call). After this, the retreat bugle is played, the band master approaches the Honorable Governor and asks for permission to take the band back, after which it is informed that the ceremony has been completed. At sunset, the retreat tune is played by the buglers and the national flag is lowered and the national anthem is sung, followed by fireworks at the venue, formally concluding the Republic Day celebrations.