Take the bandhgala, which, to most people who aren’t enthusiasts of sartorial history, appears Indian by its very name. The formal garment is worn by ministers and bureaucrats and at weddings across the country. It can trace its history and evolution from the erstwhile “royal” families of Rajasthan, to the Mughal court, through the polo grounds under the British, to a uniform for Indian Railways. Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has now discontinued the bandhgala for IR employees, dismissing it as “colonial”. But then, so did the Indian Railways.

Source: Indian Express January 15, 2026 13:12 UTC