Ahead of the Republic Day celebrations, the Central government has decided to drop the ‘Abide With Me’ hymn. It is a sombre track that signifies the end of the Beating Retreat ceremony. The song holds historical significance in warfare since it signalled the end of the day’s fighting, with soldiers sheathing their weapons and returning from the battlefield. 

The Beating Retreat ceremony in India is performed at Delhi’s Vijay Chowk every year, on January 29. The evening marks the end of the Republic Day festivities. While the Beating Retreat ceremony is steeped in colonial heritage, the Narendra Modi-led Indian government has not scrapped the entire event. However, all the Western songs have been swapped with Indian martial tunes, which fundamentally changes its character. 

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The song ‘Abide With Me’, was favoured by Mahatma Gandhi, who was pivotal in India’s freedom movement. Written by Scottish Anglican Henry Francis Lyte, when he was dying of tuberculosis in 1847, it asks God to remain with the narrator throughout their lives, and in the moment of their death as well. With the new rules from the Centre, this year’s exit music will be ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’. 

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There’ll be 44 buglers, 75 drummers, and 16 trumpeters belonging to six bands. These include bands from the Army, Air Force, Navy, as well as the one from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), and a pipes and drums band. They’ll perform 25 tunes including the one marking the end of festivities. 

The move from the Indian government comes after the ‘eternal flame’ of the Amar Jawan Jyoti, at the India Gate, was merged with the one at the National War Memorial. Apart from that, this year’s Republic Day festivities will begin from January 23 to include Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s birthday. The Republic Day parade will start at 10:30 AM instead of 10:00 AM, so there is better visibility for the flybys.