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Massed bands at their best

Staff Reporter

Drummers walk away with major part of the applause at Beating the Retreat

NEW DELHI: Keeping their annual date with the setting sun, the country's military massed bands once again made the majestic Vijay Chowk their stage, as the curtain was drawn on the 57th Republic Day celebrations, with the traditional Beating the Retreat ceremony. Fourteen military bands, 12 pipes and drums bands, a band each from the Navy and the Air Force and 68 buglers from various regiments of the Army performed before the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

Three new melodies "Indian Soldiers", "Bombay Sappers" and "Suman Sarit" were played at the ceremony that was also attended by Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the three Service chiefs and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Beginning with fanfare by the buglers, the massed bands first played "Sam Bahadur" to a quick march. The pipes and drums then moved forward matching steps with a quick march to the tune of "Kesaria Bana", shifting then to a slow march for the composition "Suman Sarit" before moving back to a quick march for "Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja".

As the audience slowly warmed up to the melodies, the pipes and drums changed to "Louden's Bonnie Woods and Brass" before changing to a reel position for `The Kilt is my Delight" and then marching back to the tune of "Senani".

It was then time for the men in blue and black to bring the magic of the Navy and Air Force tunes to the fore, as they made their way through Vijay Chowk with fanfare. Captivating the audience with their dynamic music, the bands opened with the tune "Space Flight". Two more melodies were played to quick marches before they shifted to "By Land and Sea" for a slow march. After a gallop to the tune "Alert", they marched back to the tune of "Anchors Aweigh", as the military bands got ready to take centre-stage.

Making their entry with an "Agni" fanfare, the military bands played six indigenously created tunes. Beginning with a new tune "Bombay Sappers", the band then played "Muskoh Vallery" and "The Indian Soldier". It was then time for the cradlesong "Godhuli", which was well appreciated by the audience before marching back to the tune of "Singarh".

Returning to a quick march, the massed bands played "Punjab". But it was the drummers who walked away with a major part of the applause as they played "On the Snare Drums" which managed to get people to match the beats with their claps.

The National Flag was then lowered on retreat by the buglers following which the bands finally made their exit to the tune of "Sare Jahan Se Accha", leaving behind a brightly lit Raisina Hill.

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