BSF issues statement on “Beating the Retreat” ceremony at Wagah border
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in
Keeping in view the rising in number of Covid cases, the Border Security Force (BSF) said that it has decided to suspend the entry of the public at the world famous daily lowering of the National flags ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar district. Also known as the “Beating the Retreat” ceremony, the para-military display on the India-Pakistan border is witnessed daily by hundreds of citizens from both countries, who line up across galleries to cheer for soldiers marching in a drill, going through the steps of bringing down their respective national flags.
The BSF statement read, “In view of the Covid-19 situation in the country and latest guidelines issued from the office of the district magistrate, Amritsar, BSF authorities have reviewed the situation and taken a decision to stop the entry of public to witness the “Retreat Ceremony” at JCP Attari with immediate effect.”
The daily flag-lowering “Retreat Ceremony” at the Attari-Wagah border in Amritsar had only just resumed last November after remaining suspended for 20 months since March 7, 2020, due to Covid-19. Now, once again due to surge in Covid-19 cases in India the BSF display and parade are being barred from the public yet again.
The lowering of the flags ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force, BSF) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959. The drill is characterized by elaborate and rapid dance-like manoeuvres and raising legs as high as possible, which have been described as “colourful”.
The spectacle of the ceremony attracts many visitors from both sides of the border, as well as international tourists. The soldiers of this ceremony are specially appointed and trained for this auspicious ceremony. They also have a beard and moustache policy for which they are paid additionally
BSF issues statement on “Beating the Retreat” ceremony at Wagah border . Similar parades are also organised at the Mahavir-Sadqi border near Fazilka and the Hussainiwala-Ganda Singh Wala border near Firozpur.
January 6,202
