Gurugramwale: The railway station sartorialist

Portrait of a man spotted at Gurugram railway station

It’s easy to be extravagantly stylish. But only a few become that in a most effortless way. Such is the case with Bhairu, who seems to have jumped straight out of the cover of an old National Geographic magazine. The young man, spotted here in Gurugram railway station, is crowned with a majestic red turban.

Bhairu is from Kota in Rajasthan and came to Gurugram to meet a relative. (HT Photo)

His dhoti is embroidered, but sparsely. His bare hands are a garden of tattooed flowers. His silver locket, gracefully falling over the white kurta, is embedded with two blue stones. A red diamond-like thing glimmers in the centre.

Oh, and there’s also the distraction of his sparkling earrings, glowing like two midnight fireflies.

Bhairu is wandering about in the railway station, looking as clueless as a fisherman searching for beach in a landlocked city. He is actually a shepherd. “I’m from a village in Kota (Rajasthan),” he says. He was in town to meet a relative and is now returning home. “I’m trying to figure out the next train to Kota.”

The gentleman is speaking haltingly, a tad suspiciously, as if people in this city cannot be trusted.

It’s not only Bhairu’s dress that makes him so unique. His sideburns, in fact, are shaped like Mr Darcy’s, as played by Colin Firth in the iconic BBC adaption of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.

And his little rucksack is sewn out of a velvety cloth printed with red flowers. Does Bhairu tie his own turban?

The shepherd looks a bit puzzled by the query. He makes no reply. Instead, he wordlessly wades into the railway station crowd comprising of men dressed in boring pants and shirts.