Add Or 741

Hindu priest garlanding the flags of the 35th Bengal Light Infantry at a presentation of colours ceremony, c.1847.

Water-colour; 15.25 by 18.75 ins,

Note: This regiment became Light Infantry in 1843 and was given the Governor-General's Order for Kilmarnocks for Sepoys in 1847. The flags bear the battle honour of 'Cabul 1842'. As the troops are wearing Kilmarnocks and as the regiment was disbanded at the Mutiny the picture must have been painted between 1843 and 1858, perhaps at the same time (1847) as Add.Or.742, the style of which it resembles. The 35th Bengal Light Infantry figures in both pictures. (See R. Ackermann, ‘Costumes of the Indian army,’ London, 1844).

NOTE2: The standard of the 35th BNI bears the honours ‘Afghanistan’, ‘Ghuznee’. ‘Jellalabad’ and ‘Cabul 1842’. It was in Afghanistan since forming part of the Army of the Indus in 1839, had been with Sale in Jallalabad, and then part of the army of retribution of 1842, and alone among the Bengal Native Infantry regiments was in 1843 given the distinction of being called Bengal Light Infantry.

The ceremony of garlanding the colours is more probably an ‘ayudha-puja’ on the 9th day of Navaratri. The 35th Regiment was based at Allahabad from 1845-47, and the painting could have been done in late 1847, when this regiment was present in Lucknow (see Add.Or.742 below). Another window of opportunity for the painting is the period 1850-54 when the regiment was based in Lucknow itself.