A sowar of the Rohilla Cavalry, 1820 (c)

Watercolour artist unknown, 1820 (c).

The Rohillas were a highland Moslem people from north western India. They had fought a brief war against the British and their Indian allies in 1774. The British were impressed by their fighting abilities and later recruited them into the army of the East India Company. The Rohilla horsemen wore a scarlet alkalak faced with gold lace. They also wore a fez type head dress or turban.