Orderly boy, Madras Army, 1835 (c)

Watercolour by a Company artist of the Tanjore school, 1835 (c).

The ash marks on this boy soldier's face show that he is a Hindu. In 1806 the Madras Army offended both Hindu and Muslim soldiers when it banned the wearing of such marks and required Muslim soldiers to shave their beards. The resulting mutiny at Vellore demonstrated that the East India Company needed to respect the customs of its Indian troops. The new regulations were abolished.