INDIA. Mumbai: A beating retreat and tattoo ceremony for the navy day was held on Sunday night at the Gateway of India in South Mumbai. Western Naval Command (WNC) officials put up some extremely impressive drills as part of the performance.
The celebration, which is held annually on December 4, featured Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari as the principal guest. Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahaduj Singh, Flg Office Commanding in Chief, Western Naval Command hosted the event.
A huge audience of senior dignitaries and officials from many organisations and walks of life, serving naval personnel, veterans and families attended the ceremony.
The celebration included the beating retreat, a stunning performance by the navy band, a clever operational demonstration, a perfectly timed fly-past by naval helicopters, a continuity drill by naval troops, and the sailor’s Homepipe Dance by sea cadet corps members.
The Beating Retreat Ceremony dates back to the earliest periods of military history when the Retreat was sounded each day as dusk fell and troops were ordered to retire to their camps for the night.
In contrast, during the Tattoo Ceremony, the band instructs the soldiers to report to their billets after a strenuous day on the battlefield by beating drums to a variety of beats.
Continuity Drill was a magnificent demonstration of how a complicated series of movements might be carried out without the need for any verbal commands. Huge cheers were heard in appreciation of the Marine Commandos’ daring and the navy aviators’ clockwork accuracy.
However, the audience’s favourite performance was the charming Hornpipe Dance performed by the young cadets of the Sea Cadet Corps. The Commander-in-Chief hosted an At Home event at the Navy House later in the evening.
Every year, Navy Day is observed to remember the Indian Navy’s courageous assault on Karachi Harbor on December 4 during the Indo-Pak War. The evening of December 3, 1971, saw an attack on Indian air bases by Pakistani forces.
In accordance with “Operation Trident” and “Operation Python,” the 22nd Missile Vessel Squadron was instructed to send three missile boats, Nirghat, Veer, and Nipat, in the direction of Karachi.
Just before the stroke of midnight on December 4, 1971, the missile boats launched effective strikes, sinking the Pakistani Destroyer Khaibar, the Minesweeper Muhafiz, and the MV Venus Challenger.
The Kiamari oil fields were also devastated by the bombing. To honour the actions of the “Men in White,” December 4 is observed as Navy Day every year. The Navy’s activities helped the Indian Armed Forces defeat Pakistan in the end.
Gaurav Stambh
Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, FOC-in-Chief, WNC, and other officers participated in a sombre ceremony at the Gaurav Stambh at the Naval Dockyard in South Mumbai to commemorate Navy Day by laying a wreath. To commemorate the occasion, a ceremonial guard was marched.
On December 4, 2020, Gaurav Stambh, a monument, was officially opened to honour the “Victory at Sea” and pay homage to the determination, amazing bravery, sacrifice, and fortitude of naval troops, which highlight the best traditions of the Indian Navy.
The names of 285 personnel have been written on the memorial’s walls in an effort to honour their bravery and serve as a reminder to future generations of the bravehearts’ courage.
Those who took part in the liberation of Goa, the Indo-Pak War of 1971, anti-terrorist operations, and other acts of bravery to protect lives and national assets are among the names of the brave personnel.
Commodore SN Singh (Retd), a veteran of the 1971 War, Lt. Cdr. Farokh Tarapore (Retd), an Olympian and Asian Gold Medalist, and top Flag Officers of the WNC also placed wreaths.
The C-in-C and other dignitaries offered tribute to honour our brave warriors by setting flowers next to the names of those who have given their lives in the line of duty.
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