This contemporary coloured drawing by Paul Aimé Vallouy shows three soldiers of the Travancore Nair Brigade. This was a private army raised by the ruler of the southern state of Travancore, Marthanda Varma. But the State Forces of British India tended to be dressed in the same way as the troops of the East India Company. The figure on the right is a rifleman, and would have had his uniform based on the 4th Regiment of Bombay Native Infantry (or Rifle Corps). The regiment was converted to Rifles in 1841 and wore green uniforms with black facings. But in 1848 the facings were changed to red. (It was not until 1883 that the facings were officially changed from red to scarlet.)
Prior to 1841 the regiment would have been clothed like the infantryman on the left, in a close-fitting red coat with white head-dress. His belts are white while those of the rifleman are black. The white trousers were probably for summer wear. A print of the 19th Bombay Infantry in 1839 shows the sepoys in blue trousers. The central figure has a blue jacket with red facings and is a gunner from the Brigade Artillery. The drawing is undated but another drawing by the same artist shows Nairs in 1855.
