Extraordinary And Plenipotentiary Diplomatist July 19 Edition . | Page 51

band of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada formed only a
few years previously, the Vancouver Police Pipe Band has
during its long history occupied a special place in the hearts
of Vancouverites. Its stalwart, strapping members have long
been regarded in the city with great pride and aff ection. The
pipe band, which is the “Offi cial Band of Vancouver”, and
its many individual members, have had a distinguished past
and shows no sign of letting past tradition fall by the wayside.
Initially, the band performed in their regular police
department uniforms. A few years later from 1918 through to
1925, the band wore the Davidson tartan. In 1925 the band’s
uniform was changed to the one it wears to this day, the Prince
Edward Charles Stewart tartan. The full dress uniforms were
patterned after those worn by the pipes and drums of the
famed Scots Guards. This privilege was offi cially conferred
upon the band fourteen years later by King George VI during
a visit to Vancouver.
Scotswoman bagpiper Laura Mennie at Delhi War Cemetery
The Vancouver Police Pipe Band has spent the last 100
years entertaining people around the globe and at the same
time acting as ambassadors for their country, province and
city. In January 2014, the Mayor awarded Vancouver’s
highest honour, the Freedom of the City Award, to the men
and women of the Band. For the Band’s centenary in June
2014, it travelled to England to play for the changing of
the guard, at both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.
This was the fi rst time in the 300 years history of the iconic,
internationally recognized ceremony that a non–military band
was granted the honour.
Another lone non-military bagpiper in Delhi is a Scottish
lady, Laura Mennie, who works in the offi ce of the British
Defence Attache at the UK High Commission. Dressed in a
non-military bagpiper’s uniform, she impressed audiences
during the Armistice Day Remembrance Ceremony at the
Delhi War Cemetery on 11 November and a couple of times at
the residence of the British High Commissioner, Mr Dominic
Asquith. When the Scottish Deputy First Minister John
CULTURE CONNECT
Indian Army’s Rajputana Rifl es Piper at Delhi War Cemetery
Swinney attended a reception in his honour at the British High
Commissioner’s residence in December 2018, he walked to
the tune of the bagpipes played by Ms. Mennie.
One wonders as to how many people-both foreigners
and Indians are aware of bagpipe music played in the Indian
Army. The British, who used bagpipes in their army bands,
introduced the instrument to Indian troops in the 19th century.
Each infantry battalion of the Indian Army has its own pipes
and drums band. While Indian Army bagpipers began with
and played mainly Scottish tunes till Independence since then
many Indian compositions based on Indian folk music have
been added to their repertoire.
If headcount is to be made of the number of pipes and
drums bands, considering that every infantry battalion of
Indian Army has its integral band, India may well turn out
to be leading in the world.
Bagpipe music has caught the fancy of Indians and has
become popular in some parts of the country. One of them is
in the mountainous region of Garhwal in Uttarakhand, where
bagpipers are proud members of civilian bands requisitioned
for weddings.
Bagpipes sounds are produced through reeds as are some
traditional Indian instruments like the ‘shehnai’ famously
used in Indian classical music and during weddings as well
as the ‘been’, popularly played by snake-charmers.
It will be indeed interesting to match Indian bagpipers
with Scottish and those of Commonwealth countries, which
also play traditional Scottish tunes.
While Indian military bands have been invited since
decades to perform in many countries, India held its fi rst
ever military music festival in March 2010, when military
bands from six countries cast a spell over audiences in Delhi
at the Army Parade Ground, Purana Qila and India Gate. The
bands participating were from France, Britain, Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka, Nepal and India, which was represented by bands
from Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Besides armed forces
bands, Kalaripayattu (traditional martial art of Kerala),
Bhangra, Ladakhi dance and Maharashtra’s Lezim dance
performed by soldiers also captivated the audiences. 
* Author is Lt. Col (Ret’d) Indian Army
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Diplomatist • Vol 7 • Issue 7 • July 2019, Noida • 51