'Abide With Me' Dropped From Republic Day Beating Retreat

The hymn, a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi, was played every year during the ceremony from 1950 onwards, until it was dropped in 2020. It was reinstated last year.

The Wire Staff

The hymn, a favourite of Mahatma Gandhi, was played every year during the ceremony from 1950 onwards, until it was dropped in 2020. It was reinstated last year.

abide with me dropped from republic day beating retreat

Members of the military band take part in the Beating the Retreat ceremony in New Delhi, India, January 29, 2017. Photo: Reuters/Cathal McNaughton

New Delhi: Mahatma Gandhi's favourite hymn, 'Abide With Me', has been dropped from the iconic Beating Retreat ceremony on January 29. The hymn has been played every year during the ceremony from 1950 onwards.

According to the Indian Express, the official list of the 26 tunes to be played in the Beating Retreat ceremony does not mention 'Abide With Me'. The Beating of the Retreat marks the end of the military's Republic Day ceremonies.

The armed forces view ‘Abide with Me’ as a song to remember their fallen, above and beyond religious connotations.

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, according to the Indian Express.

Note: An earlier version of this copy erroneously mentioned that 'Abide With Me' was dropped in 2020 and was reinstated in 2021.

This article went live on January twenty-second, two thousand twenty two, at forty-five minutes past four in the afternoon.

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