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In Pics: Navy rehearses for Beating Retreat ceremony in Mumbai

December 01, 2016 08:19 IST

Indian Navy personnel on Wednesday rehearsed for the Beating Retreat and Tattoo Ceremony for the forthcoming Navy Day celebration at the historical Gateway of India in Mumbai.

The Indian Navy will celebrate December 4 as Navy Day, which is a tribute to the maritime operations of the navy during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war.

Here are glimpses of a full dress rehearsal.

Indian Naval band rehearses for 'Beating the Retreat' as part of the Navy Day celebrations at Gateway of India in Mumbai.

The Beating Retreat and Tattoo Ceremony were performed by the Indian Naval band with Beating of Retreat being performed before sunset and the Tattoo Ceremony being performed after sunset.  

Indian Naval commandos rappel from the iconic Gateway of India as they take part in a demonstration drill.

Beating Retreat ceremony has its origin in the practice of early warfare when drums were sounded to order soldiers to disengage from combat and retreat as the daylight faded and return to the camp. 

The Naval commandos rehearse for 'Beating the Retreat' and Tattoo Ceremony.

The naval commandos show exemplary skills during the rehearsal.

Photographs: Sahil Salvi