Beating the Retreat ceremony is underway at Vijay Chowk in Delhi. With this ceremony Republic Day celebrations will come to a close. <br/><br/>16 Military Bands, 16 Pipe and Drum Bands from Regimental Centres and Battalions are participating in the ceremony. <br/><br/>Apart from this, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force band are also part of the event. <br/><br/>Another band of the State Police and Central Armed Police Forces comprising Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and Delhi Police is also taking part. <br/><br/>President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief of three services and other dignitaries are witnessing the musical ceremony. <br/><br/>AIR correspondent reports Beating the Retreat has emerged as an event of national pride when the Colours and Standards are paraded. <br/><br/>It traces its origins to the early 1950s when Major Roberts of the Indian Army indigenously developed the unique ceremony of display by the massed bands. <br/><br/>'Beating Retreat' marks a centuries old military tradition, when the troops ceased fighting, sheathed their arms and withdrew from the battlefield returning to the camps at sunset at the sounding of the Retreat.