Indian pipe bands

[Mike_Oettle]

Last night’s Commonwealth Games closing ceremony was a feast for the eyes, especially when the massed bands of the Indian armed forces took the floor.
The brass bands came first (I suppose it is to be expected), but then there was a massed pipe band as well – not a kilt to be seen among them, but every piper wearing a plaid that fell almost to the floor.
The tartans they were wearing were colourful and varied, and there were many I did not recognise. I wonder how many of these Indian Army tartans have been recorded outside India. Not many, is my impression.
The music they played was not familiar, but then they are Indian bands, and I do not expect them to play Scottish music (for all that they were established under Scottish pipe and drum majors).
I also wonder how many regiments still maintain pipe bands. I have read that there were 47 of them at independence, including a number of mounted bands with cavalry regiments.
After the pipes came the drums, which excited the crowds, but they did not draw my attention to nearly the same extent.
Regards,
Mike

PS: I spent a lot of time watching the ceremony because I was unable to use my computer at home last night.

[macwilkin]

Last night’s Commonwealth Games closing ceremony was a feast for the eyes, especially when the massed bands of the Indian armed forces took the floor.
Te brass bands came first (I suppose it is to be expected), but then there was a massed pipe band as well – not a kilt to be seen among them, but every piper wearing a plaid that fell almost to the floor.
The tartans they were wearing were colourful and varied, and there were many I did not recognise. I wonder how many of these Indian Army tartans have been recorded outside India. Not many, is my impression.
The music they played was not familiar, but then they are Indian bands, and I do not expect them to play Scottish music (for all that they were established under Scottish pipe and drum majors).
I also wonder how many regiments still maintain pipe bands. I have read that there were 47 of them at independence, including a number of mounted bands with cavalry regiments.
After the pipes came the drums, which excited the crowds, but they did not draw my attention to nearly the same extent.
Regards,
Mike

PS: I spent a lot of time watching the ceremony because I was unable to use my computer at home last night.

The 3rd Battalion, The Sikh Regiment, which traces its lineage from Rattray's Sikhs, still wears the Rattray tartan:

http://www.clanrattray.org/sikhregiment.html
http://www.fifetoday.co.uk/st-andrew...S39.1364483.jp

The Gorkha regiments (spelling correct for Indian Army) also still maintain pipers; the 1st Battalion, 1st GR wear the Childers tartan, and the 2nd Battalion wears the Mackenzie, for example.


T.

[Mike_Oettle]

Thanks, Todd. I did notice the Gorkhas with their pillbox hats, but there were several others besides.
And I also noticed that the tartan plaids were only one subset of a whole range of colourful cloths worn by the Indian military.
Most of them were striped, rather than tartan, and the styles of wearing them were quite varied. Some were worn as sashes around the waist, while others formed part of the headgear.
Regards,
Mike