Military bands set the tone amid all pomp and show at 'Beating Retreat' ceremony in Delhi

The 'Beating Retreat' ceremony taking place at the Vijay Chowk is set to enthrall the nation with as many as 26 spell bounding performances.

Bands from the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the State Police and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) are participating in the ceremony.

Out of the 26 performances, 25 tunes have been composed by Indian musicians and 'Abide with me' will be the only western tune to be performed here on Monday. The event will culminate with the tune of 'Sare Jahan se Acha'.

18 Military Bands, 15 Pipes and Drums Bands from Regimental Centres and Battalions will be participating in the 2018 'Beating Retreat' ceremony.

Major Ashok Kumar is be the principal conductor of the ceremony. Army Military bands conductor will be Subedar Major SK Sharma and the Navy and Air Force band conductors will be Master Chief Petty Officer (Musician-I) Ramesh Chand and Junior Warrant Officer Ashok Kumar respectively.

The conductor of the State Police and CAPF bands will be Constable Bhim Singh. Buglers will perform under the leadership of Subedar Jagdish Giri and pipes and drums bands will play under the instructions of Subedar Major Num Bahadur Gurung.

The 'Beating Retreat' ceremony is held here every year on January 29, marking the culmination of the four-day-long Republic Day celebrations.

The ceremony traces its origins to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands