Rehearsal of Beating retreat ceremony underway at Attari-Wagah border

AMRITSAR: Ahead of Republic Day, the rehearsal for the Beating Retreat ceremony is underway at the Attari-Wagah border in Punjab's Amritsar.

This year, India is set to commemorate its 75th Republic Day, marking the adoption of the constitution on January 26, 1950, and the attainment of sovereignty.

The constituent assembly held its first session in December 1946 and the last session in November 1949, following which the constitution was enacted a year later with Dr. BR Ambedkar as the head of the drafting committee.

The beating retreat ceremony, a military ceremony dating to the 17th century, will culminate in the Republic Day celebrations at Vijay Chowk in the national capital on January 29.

Visuals showed army personnel marching at the border, joined by the dog squad. Earlier, the Union Defence Ministry said, "This year, the 'Beating Retreat' ceremony at Vijay Chowk on Raisina Hill in New Delhi will witness all Indian tunes to mark the culmination of the 75th Republic Day celebrations on January 29. The tunes will be played by bands of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force before President Droupadi Murmu and other dignitaries."

It is held annually on January 29 at Vijay Chowk and is a centuries-old tradition that dates back 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, withdrew from the battlefield, and returned to the camps at sunset at the sound of the retreat. Colours and standards are cased and flags are lowered.

The ceremony creates nostalgia for the times gone by. Meanwhile, this year, the focal points of the Republic Day parade will be 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Bharat-Loktantra ki Matraka', symbolising the country's aspirations and its role as a nurturer of democracy.

Republic Day celebrations are marked by great hustle and bustle, with the President unfurling the flag, followed by spectacular military and cultural pageantry.