In a move that has sparked a lively debate, the Indian Railway Minister has announced the removal of the distinctive bandhgala jacket from the formal uniform of railway staff, citing it as a symbol of a “colonial mindset”. However, this decision has been met with criticism from fashion designers and historians who argue that the jacket is deeply rooted in India’s own rich cultural heritage.
The bandhgala, known as the “princely jacket” for its royal origins, has long been a ubiquitous garment in India, with its origins tracing back to the grand Mughal courts and Rajasthani kingdoms of the past. Contrary to the minister’s claims, the jacket’s design and evolution have been firmly grounded in India’s own sartorial history, predating the arrival of the British in the country.
Raghavendra Rathore, an Indian menswear designer and descendant of the royal family of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, has vehemently defended the jacket, calling it “India’s most refined expression of royal tailoring”. He emphasises that the bandhgala has undergone a fluid evolution over four centuries, with its distinct high-collared silhouette and tailored torso first emerging in the courts of Mughal Emperor Akbar in the 16th century.
As the design evolved, it was adopted by the Rajput warrior rulers and maharajas of Jodhpur, where it was further transformed and adapted to suit the chilly conditions of northern India. It was in this context that the bandhgala was later incorporated into the formal uniform of the Indian Railways in the late 19th century, replacing more European-style frock coats and tunics.
While Rathore acknowledges that there was some colonial influence on the jacket’s evolution during the Raj, he insists that “the jacket itself always remained Indian”. The high neck, fitted torso, and shaped shoulders are all distinctly Indian design elements that have endured through the centuries.
The decision to remove the bandhgala from the railway uniform has been viewed by some as part of a broader effort by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government to “free India from the legacy of more than 100 years of Britain’s colonial rule”. The government has pledged to eradicate any remnants of the “colonial mindset” from the country’s institutions and practices.
However, for fashion designers and historians like Rathore, the bandhgala is not a colonial relic, but a cherished symbol of India’s rich cultural heritage. As the debate continues, there is much anticipation over what attire might replace the iconic jacket in the railway staff’s formal uniform, with the hope that it will reflect the true essence of India’s sartorial legacy.