A slide show of the republic day parade in Delhi

Here comes the President of India with the President's Bodyguard.

Here come the jets for the flypast.

Here come the soldiers!

Watch them march down Rajpath.

Here they go!

In perfect formation.

A Sikh Regiment.

A Gurkha Regiment.

The Camel Patrol of the Border Security Force.

School children marching with the Flag.

Do you recognize the colors?

NCC cadets - all girls.

Watch the acrobats on motorcycles - but don't try this at home.

Here come the tanks.

Watch the tanks rumble by.

And the rockets!

Now come the floats and the dancers.

These school children look like they are having fun.

Look at the colors - how did they do that!!

Each State sends a float.

This float is from Delhi.

This one is beautiful.

This one is about space exploration.

This one brings a message.

Children who were awarded for their bravery take part in the Parade.

We honor these brave children.

The Parade is about to end - Jai Hind!

Watch the Beating of the Retreat.

The end!

.

Some words from the Slide Show explained:

Republic Day, The President's Bodyguard, Rajpath, Camel Patrol of the Border Security Force, A Note About the Flag, NCC- National Cadet Core, National Bravery Awards, Jai Hind, Beating of the Retreat

Republic Day

January 26 is a special day for India as on this day, in 1950 the country became a sovereign democratic republic with a written constitution and elected parliament.  Republic Day is India’s greatest national celebration.  In Delhi there is a spectacular parade that is watched by hundreds and thousands of people who line the parade route and by other countless millions on TV and on the internet.  The slide show that you just saw is about that parade.  It starts from Rashtrapati Bhavan, where the President of India lives and ends at historic Red Fort.  The President of India takes the salute of the contingents of Armed Forces.

The highlights of the very first Republic Day celebrations were the swearing in ceremony at the Durbar Hall in Government House of Dr Rajendra Prasad as the first President of the Republic, and the Presidential drive along a five-mile route to the Irwin Stadium, where he unfurled the National Flag.

Back to top of page

The President’s Bodyguard

The President's Bodyguard, as it is known today, was raised in 1773 at Benares, by the then Governor-General, Warren Hastings.  Their name was changed to The President’s Bodyguard on 26th January 1950, with India's declaration as a Republic.  Today this is a small body of men comprising of four officers,14 JCOs and 161 Bodyguards-men backed up by administrative support personnel, an establishment which has not changed much in the last century.   Equipped with armoured cars, its men are also trained for operational duties, both as tankmen and airborne troops in addition to their ceremonial role.  The President’s Bodyguard has the unique distinction being, the only military unit the Indian Army, privileged to carry the President's Silver Trumpet and Trumpet Banner.

Horses of The President’s Bodyguard are bay in color, except that for the Regimental Trumpeter, who traditionally is always mounted on a Grey Charger. They are required to be of a minimum height of 157.5cms, measured at the shoulder, and are the only horses in the Indian Army, permitted to wear full manes, like their counterparts of the household Cavalry in Britain.  

The 'Mechanical Mounts" of the PBG have been various Daimler and Humber Armoured Cars, equipped with 2 pounder and 37 mm cannon and machine guns respectively, the indigenous Nissan Scout Car and Currently the BTR 60 armored vehicles.

http://dca.nic.in/presidentsbodyguards.html

Back to top of page

Rajpath

The literal meaning is King’s Way.  This is the broad boulevard that runs from Rashtrapati Bhavan east to India Gate and beyond.  The Republic Day parade goes along Rajpath.

Back to top of page

Camel Patrol of the Border Security Force

The Border Security Force was created in 1965.  Its main role is to protect the borders of India.  The picture in the slide show is of the Camel Patrol in their ceremonial uniforms and decorations for the camels.

Back to top of page

A Note About the Flag

The National Flag is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three. In the centre of the white band is a navy-blue wheel which represents the chakra. Its design is that of the wheel which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes. The design of the National Flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July 1947.

The significance of the colors and the chakra in the National Flag was amply described by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan in the Constituent Assembly which unanimously adopted the National Flag.  Dr. S. Radhakrishnan explained—“Bhagwa or the saffron color denotes renunciation of disinterestedness.  Our leaders must be indifferent to material gains and dedicate themselves to their work.  The white in the centre is light, the path of truth to guide our conduct.  The green shows our relation to soil, our relation to the plant life here on which all other life depends.  The Ashoka Wheel in the center of the white is the wheel of the law of dharma.  Truth or satya, dharma or virtue ought to be the controlling principles of those who work under this flag.  Again, the wheel denotes motion.  There is death in stagnation.  There is life in movement.  India should no more resist change, it must move and go forward.   The wheel represents the dynamism of a peaceful change.”  Source: http://india.gov.in/knowindia/national_flag.php  

Back to top of page

NCC – National Cadet Core

The National Cadet Core is a national level youth organization, founded to train young people as responsible citizens and future leaders of our great country in all walks of life, including the defense forces.  The National Cadet Corps is a Tri-Services Organization , comprising Army, Navy and Air Force http://nccindia.nic.in/index.htm

Back to top of page

National Bravery Awards

The national awards for bravery were started in 1957 to recognize and honor children younger than 16 years of age, who have performed outstanding deeds of bravery and selfless sacrifice.

Some of the Bravery Awards from 2006 were:

Master Ratul Chandra Rabha (14 years) and Master Rituparna Boro (15 years) of Assam have been given the coveted Bharat Award for chasing the militants who killed their school teacher. One of the militants was apprehended. Master Sanmesh Mahesh Kalyanpur (14 years) of Maharashtra has been given the prestigious Sanjay Chopra Award for saving his sister from drowning. Ten year old Km. Seidalyne Mawtyllup of Meghalaya has been given the Geeta Chopra Award. Seidalyne saved her three month old sister from a blazing house.

Kum Dugi alias Minati (14 years) of Orissa, Km. C Susheela (14 years) of Andhra Pradesh and Master Mahesh Kumar (15 years) of Uttaranchal have been selected for the Bapu Gayadhani Awards. Km. Dugi alias Minati and Km. C Susheela both displayed extraordinary courage in revolting against the social evil of child marriage. Master Mahesh Kumar displayed bravery in saving an 11 year old girl from the jaws of a tiger.

Back to top of page

Jai Hind

This phrase means ‘Long Live India’ or ‘Victory to India’.

Back to top of page

Beating of the Retreat

From ‘A Vision of India: The Country’, published by NavNeet Publications:

The end of Republic Day celebrations:  Three days later on the evening of January 29, a stirring ceremony known as ‘Beating of the Retreat” is held.  The ancient military custom of sending drummers through the streets just before sunset to warn troops to return to their barracks before the colors were hauled down of the night has been revived in a unique way.  Twenty or more bands, from the three services, perform.  But it does not end there.  The plaintive notes of the old hymn, Abide With Me (also a favorite of Mahatma Gandhi), are played.  The bands then fall silent although the hymn has not concluded.  In the poignant silence, a solitary bugler takes up the hymn’s refrain.  The final notes fade away – marking the end of the Republic Day celebrations.

Back to top of page

Sources:  Many of the photographs are from the National Informatics Center http://home.nic.in/ ; words of the slide show are based on the book "Parade" by Donald Crews.

Back to Newsletter