please notice the police-rather military cum police in the above painting-
It shows British armed men in white pants and tall hats while Indian police =possibly 'Bhandari militia'? in colored pyjama ,white long tunic,and tall Turban/Pagadi
he Mumbai Police has its genesis in the ‘Bhandari Militia’ which was an irregular force consisting of the inhabitants of the group of seven islands that made up Mumbai. Gerald Aungier, who was the Governor of Mumbai from in 1669-1677, organised this militia under the command of Subhedars. This force was intended primarily for military protection and as a supplement to the regular garrison.
At the time of Aungier’s death, the force was around 500-600 strong. Service in the militia was compulsory on all land-owners, except those who were allowed exemption on a money payment. The rank-and-file was composed of Portuguese Eurasians (referred to as black Christians), Muslims (Moors), and Hindus like Sinays (Shenvis or Saraswats), Kunbis (Corumbeens) and Kolis (Coolys). The strongest element of the force was the Bhandaris (Bandareens), giving it the name the Bhandari militia.
