Vijay Chowk rings with music for Beating Retreat Ceremony

This year’s performance stood out for its fusion of Indian classical music with traditional military band instruments.

For 101-year-old retired lieutenant Rangaswamy Madhavan Pillai, a former soldier of the Indian National Army (INA), the Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29 was more than a military spectacle – it was a living bridge to his own past and to the nation’s journey.

Bands played songs like A R Rahman’s Jai Ho, Ae Watan, Aaraambh Hai Prachand and Vande Mataram (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

“I am older than what most people consider old. My memory has faded, so for me it’s ceremonies like these that keep me in touch with my own life,” said Pillai, who served in the India Independence League and worked closely with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Rash Behari Bose in Rangoon (now known as Yangon). The sight and sound of the marching bands at Vijay Chowk brought back memories of his service, he said. “Every time I come for these events, I am reminded of how far we have come as a nation,” he added.

Musical tunes, formations feature in Beating Retreat at Vijay Chowk | In photos

The ceremony, attended by President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and other dignitaries, marked the close of Republic Day festivities. This year’s performance stood out for its fusion of Indian classical music with traditional military band instruments – a move described by musical director squadron leader Leimapokpam Rupachandra Singh as an effort toward the “Indianisation of military tunes.”

Bands played songs like A R Rahman’s Jai Ho, Ae Watan, Aaraambh Hai Prachand and Vande Mataram.

Audiences in enclosures named after instruments like Sitar, Tabla, and Shehnai responded enthusiastically. Ahan Singh Makar, 16, from Noida, a drummer himself, noted the skill required to play classical instruments with military precision. Many were moved by formations commemorating Operation Sindoor, the Indian women’s cricket World Cup win, and 75 years of “Vande Mataram.”

For Pillai, the discipline and pride on display reaffirmed a lifetime of service.

For younger attendees like Delhi University student Vaishnavi, 21, it was a stirring patriotic experience. “I really liked the Operation Sindoor formation, because the Pahalgam attack is so fresh in all our memories,” she said.