New Delhi, August 21, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Change of Guard Ceremony at the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan will not be held on Saturday as the venue will be used for a full rehearsal of the ceremonial welcome for Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the President’s Secretariat said on Friday.
Public entry to the ceremony will remain restricted during the rehearsal, according to an official statement.
The 30-minute Change of Guard Ceremony is ordinarily conducted at Rashtrapati Bhavan every Saturday morning. However, the ceremony is not held when Saturday falls on a gazetted holiday or when Rashtrapati Bhavan issues a specific notification.
The Change of Guard is a longstanding military tradition under which guards and sentries at palaces, forts and defence establishments are periodically replaced by a fresh contingent of troops.
At Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Ceremonial Army Guard battalion is responsible for providing ceremonial guards and sentries for the President of India.
The ceremony has been revamped and shifted to the Forecourt to make it more accessible and visually engaging for visitors. An equestrian display by the President’s Bodyguard (PBG), dressed in ceremonial regalia, is also part of the revamped format.
The ceremony begins with PBG personnel riding their caparisoned horses from behind the Jaipur Column to the music of the Army Brass Band. The Parade Commander then leads the ceremonial guard, following which the guards are inspected.
The incoming and outgoing guards subsequently take position alongside each other and exchange the national salute before the new guard assumes responsibility for the guards and sentries.
The ceremony concludes with an equestrian display by the President’s Bodyguard and the playing of the National Anthem.
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