The Grand Salute

OntheRepublicDayofIndia(26thJanuary),everyyear,a 21-gunsalute isgiventothe NationalFlag andthe President,duringtheflag hoisting ceremony.Readontokno wmoreaboutth istradition.

THE sound of heavy guns going off evokes awe and fear. But the ceremonious 21-gun salute, an honour bestowed upon a military or state official, is a treat for the eyes and the ears.

During the Middle Ages, sea warriors discharged their guns to signal to their rivals or counterparts that there was no hostility towards them. In the 14th and 15th centuries, gunpowder cannons came into use onboard naval ships. As t he number seven was bel i eved to be astrologically significant, armed military vessels fired seven rounds when they approached a foreign port, to show that they were going in unarmed. Land forces, being better equipped with gunpowder, fired three rounds for each of the seven shots fired by the ship, firing 21 shots in all. Ships at sea adopted the 21-gun salute as the standard form of greeting later.

Today, this salute is offered in honour of the national flag, heads of state or members of the royal family. The death of a former President is also an occasion for a 21-gun salute in many nations.

Did You Know?

When India was under British rule, the KingEmperor received a 101-gun salute, while other lesser rulers received a 21-gun salute. The number of gun salutes for the rulers depended upon the status accorded to them by the British. Only those Indian princes who were entitled to a gun salute of 11 or more, were referred to as “His Highness”. In countries which have monarchies, a royal birth is also an occasion that calls for a gun salute. In Great Britain, a 41-gun salute is the traditional salute for a royal bir th. To mark the bir th anniversar y, accession and coronation of the reigning Queen, a 62-gun salute is fired from the Tower of London.

In the US, a 50-gun salute (one for each state), is given on July 4, to commemorate the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.