Gorkha Topi, Black Cotton Cap with Khukuri Badge

The black topi is the formal Nepali cap: the kalo topi of Bhaktapur that civil servants, elders and grooms wear with the daura suruwal. Pin a pair of crossed khukuris to the front and it becomes the Gorkha topi, the cap of the Gorkha regiments and of veterans’ parades, Bhanu Jayanti processions and Gorkha unity gatherings across Darjeeling, Sikkim and the hill towns of India.

The crown is stiffened so the flat top holds its slope from the brow to the fold at the centre back, and the cotton has a raised honeycomb weave that catches light without any pattern or print. The badge is a light plastic pin with a bright gold finish, set at the front over the left brow; it fixes through the cloth and lifts off in a moment, so the same cap serves as a plain kalo topi for a puja or an office day.

Wear it with the high point forward and the slope running back, over a daura suruwal, with a dark jacket for a formal evening, or on a parade morning with the badge polished. For a patterned cap on the same frame, the printed dhaka topi in seven designs sits beside it, and every other Nepali topi we make is a click away. Each cap is stitched for Bhutib in the Eastern Himalayan hills.

Questions buyers ask

Is the khukuri badge metal? No. It is a light plastic badge with a bright gold finish, which keeps the cap comfortable and the front from sagging. It comes pinned on and lifts off whenever you want the plain cap.

Can I wear it without the badge? Yes. Without the badge it is the plain kalo topi worn with the daura suruwal, and it looks right at a puja, a wedding or an office function.

What size is it? One free size that fits adult heads; the firm crown keeps it level without pressing. For a child or a closer fit, order the free size and give us the head measurement when Bhutib confirms your order, and we tailor-make the cap to that size.