Let’s get the obvious irony out of the way. I like to think of myself as something of a museum buff, and London really panders to this curiosity with a spectrum of exhibitions that span from obvious to obscure.

Yet the one–plenty famous–cultural space that many immigrants, including me, struggle to walk up to is the British Museum. Or as some historians would call it, the grand British repository of stolen artefacts that were forcibly taken from people of colour during the colonial rule.

Now that you have the context in place, imagine the absolute shock that swept over when the British Museum announced that the theme for its first ever fundraising ball, an across-the-Atlantic parallel to the revered Met Gala, is inspired by ancient India. Call it internalised colonialism, but the idea of this massive, momentous occasion being anchored to desi textiles and crafts felt exhilarating, as if it was validating some long held desire for approval.

Immediately taken in, I did all the research I could. Held on October 18 for 800 exclusive guests who pay £2000 each to enter, the event marks the end of the museum’s Ancient India: Living Traditions exhibition.

It also serves a dual purpose: first, to solidify London’s position as the global centre of culture and second, to raise money for the museum’s many international partnerships, ranging from archeological projects in Ghana and Iraq to Mumbai.

And then came the fine text: “the theme for 2025 is pink, drawing inspiration from the colours and light of India…” Wait, what?

How did the organisers whittle down centuries of Indian design and culture to a singular colour? Who was in this room and how did they all nod to this bizarrely random choice? I remember looking around in disbelief as I read the announcement, confused that no one else was kicking and throwing their arms in protest.

Well, fortunately, PhD candidate, podcast host and Substacker Maalvika Bhat resonates with the sentiment. “To say ‘inspired by India’ and then arrive at ‘pink gowns’ feels like a quiet tragedy, a flattening of textile history, trade, and storytelling,” she says. “Indian fashion has never just been decorative; it’s........

© HuffPost