The traditional Christian hymn which has been played every year since 1950, was excluded in 2020. After much furore, it was reinstated last year
This year, the Beating Retreat ceremony will begin with Fanfare by Buglers, followed by Veer Sainik by the Massed Bands and six tunes by the Pipes and Drums band.
Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite hymn — Abide With Me — which used to be played at the end of the Beating the Retreat ceremony on 29 January, has once again been dropped from the ceremony this year.
The traditional Christian hymn which has been played every year since 1950, was excluded in 2020. After much furore, it was reinstated last year.
Why the iconic tune is being replaced?
The patriotic Hindi song ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon’ will replace the iconic tune, as part of efforts towards further “Indianisation” of the military, including its tunes, training literature, traditions, customs and other practices, some of which were drawn from the British era, reported News18.
The official list of 26 tunes for the Beating Retreat ceremony does not carry “Abide With Me”. Sources in the government told News18 that the song has been adapted by the Massed Bands in a way that the bells would continue to chime like they did with “Abide With Me”.
A top defence source said around six tunes were considered for the purpose, including a few tunes which have already been in use by the Indian military bands, and three new tunes which were sent in by private players.
“Some of the tunes which were considered included Saare Jahan Se Accha, De Siva Bar Mohe (a devotional hymn composed by Guru Gobind Singh) and Ae Maalik Tere Bande Hum, aside from Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon, aside from the ones sent in by private entities,” a source said.
However, it is Ae Mere Watan Ke Logon which made the final cut and was selected to replace Abide With Me as the closing tune.
This year’s ceremony will begin with ‘Fanfare’ by Buglers, and end with ‘Sare Jahan Se Accha’, also by the Buglers. The entire event will see the participation of 44 buglers, 16 trumpeters and 75 drummers.
The Navy Band will play four tunes, the Army Band will play three tunes and four tunes will be played by the Air Force Band, including a special Ladakoo tune, by Flight Lt L S Rupachandra.
Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja and Drummers Call are the other tunes to be played by the Massed Bands towards the end of the ceremony.
After a public furore in 2020, ‘Abide With Me’ was reinstated back in the list of tunes for the event. However, in the last two years, the majority of the tunes played in the ceremony were composed by Indian musicians.
However, there has been a renewed push towards further Indianisation of the military with plans to include additional indigenous texts in military training and strategic studies.
Reactions:
However, Centre’s decision to drop the iconic tune again did not go down well.
Congress’ Priyanka Chaturvedi taking a dig said, “A confident nation does not need to wipe out remnants of the past.”
Journalist Vishnu Som also responded saying, “A hymn which is synonymous with honouring those killed in the Great Wars, of which Indians played such a key part.”
Former IAS officer V Ramani said, “This tune will always abide with me, regardless of government. It is interwoven into the psyche of my formative years.”
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