Beating Retreat 2020: Republic Day festivities conclude with iconic ceremony

The Beating Retreat concluded on Wednesday at the Raisina hills marking the culmination of the four-day Republic Day celebrations. 

The spectacular ceremony is conducted on the evening of January 29 every year, the third day after the Republic Day. Bands of three wings of the military - the Army, Navy and Air Force perform during the celebrations.

The event began with the arrival of the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, who is accompanied by his bodyguards in their ceremonial dress and witnessed the performance of 14 military bands in total. Towards the end, Prime Minister Narendra Modi walked around Vijay Chowk and greeted the crowd.

#PresidentKovind, VP @MVenkaiahNaidu , PM @narendramodi and other dignitaries attend Beating Retreat Ceremony 2020 at Vijay Chowk, New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/ckDfOGsMmV

— PIB India (@PIB_India) January 29, 2020

It is an age-old military tradition when troops ceased fighting and withdrew from the battlefield. They returned to the camps at sunset at the sound of the Retreat.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Traffic Police had issued an advisory regarding the change in route and diversions on some key roads leading to central Delhi due to the celebrations.

Restrictions were also placed at entry and exit at two metro stations in central Delhi. Entry/exit gates at Udyog Bhawan & Central Secretariat Metro Station remained closed from 02.00 PM to 06.30 PM today.

Vijay Chowk was closed for any traffic movement between 2 pm to 9.30 pm.