A Raj relic? End of the line for the 'princely jacket'

It is one India's most ubiquitous garments, with origins in the grand Mughal courts and Rajasthani kingdoms of times past, and still widely favoured by grooms at wedding receptions.

- Hannah Ellis-Petersen

But last week, the distinctive high-collared bandhgala jacket - known to many as the “princely jacket” in a nod to its royal origins - was at the centre of a lively debate after it was denounced by the Indian railways minister as a symbol of a “colonial mindset”.

In an attempt to “banish” such colonial hangovers, Ashwini Vaishnaw has declared the bandhgala will be immediately removed as part of the formal uniform of Indian Railways staff.

“We have to get rid of all colonial mindset,” Vaishnaw said. “We need to find each of them and remove them, whether it’s in our working style or dressing style.”

But while the tailored jacket became part of the Indian Railways uniform in the late 19th century, during the time of the British Raj, whether the coat itself is a colonial relic is disputed.

Raghavendra Rathore, an Indian menswear designer and descendant of the royal family of Jodhpur in Rajasthan who pioneered the jacket's design centuries ago, called the garment “India’s most refined expression of royal tailoring”.