The Change of Guard ceremony on the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan will move to summer timings from this weekend. From March 17-18, the ceremony would take place from 8 am to 8:40 am on Saturdays and from 5.30 to 6:10 pm on Sundays, said a statement issued by the Press Information Bureau.
These timings will be adhered to till mid-November, 2018.
The Change of Guard ceremony is open to the public. Visitors having a valid photo ID card may witness the ceremony free of cost subject to availability of seats. The ceremony is held every Saturday and Sunday, and the entry is through Gate No. 2 or 37.
The Change of Guard ceremony is a military tradition. At Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Ceremonial Army Guard battalion is responsible for providing ceremonial guards and sentries for the President of India.
In winters, the parade takes place from 10 am to 10:40 am on Saturdays, and from 4:30 pm to 5.10pm on Sundays.
A request to witness the Change of Guard ceremony can be made online through a link on the Rashtrapati Bhavan website https://presidentofindia.gov.in.