With music and march, BSF's camel riders to enthral again

By Sahil Makkar, New Delhi, Jan 24: Moustachioed and fierce-looking, they will come riding camels that march with magical precision. India's border guards will regale spectators for the 35th time at this Republic Day parade, with some playing bugles, trumpets and more, in tune with the tinkling bells on their mounts.

The Border Security Force's (BSF) camel contingent will travel down Rajpath, carrying forward an Indian tradition and boasting of the only camel-mounted music band in the world even as some of the troopers hold guns.

A hundred BSF riders under the supervision of deputy commandant Amol Singh Rathore will salute President Pratibha Patil Jan 26. They will divide themselves into two groups. The first group of 54 troopers will carry Insas rifles.

They will be followed by 36 riders with musical instruments. The band will roll out at least 30 tunes during their march down Rajpath and then to the historic Red Fort.

"We are the only camel-mounted band in the world. We first took part in the Republic Day parade in 1976. At that time, our men used to mount and parade camels while holding lances. After 14 years, we included the musical band in the contingent," Rathore said.

"When we march, we carry our legacy and tradition with us. It is a mix of heritage and modernity. The dress we wear is royal and has not changed since the camel contingent was raised by then king of Bikaner Ganga Singh before 1900. The same camels are used for transport and war."

This will be the third time Rathore will command his men down Rajpath.

The uniform the troopers wear has 14 items, including white overcoats and saffron turbans. The camel is decorated with 19 items like gorband and ghungrus. Only men with long moustaches and the best available camels are selected for the parade. Their training starts five months in advance.

The men treat their moustaches with mustard oil and cream every day.

Rathore said: "The number of camels in Rajasthan is decreasing and it has become difficult to get good camels these days. Earlier we used to get opportunity to select animals from a large population. Now we get them only from cattle fairs."

"Hybrid camels are also available. But we have not compromised on our standards and only use indigenous breeds," he said.

Sub-inspector Puran Singh, who first participated in the Republic Day parade in 1983, said: "Nobody frisked us when we used to come here earlier. Now the security is so stringent that we are even asked to dismantle our unloaded weapons."

Head Constable Tan Singh, 45, said: "Over the years nothing has changed. Neither our dress nor the camels. But traffic has really gone up manifold in Delhi." He first participated in 1987.

Around 200 men, including nursing and veterinary staff from the BSF, are camping near the domestic airport in the run-up to Republic Day. They arrived here in December.

(Sahil Makkar can be contacted at sahil.m@ians.in)