Toshakhana

Under British colonial rule, officials of the East India Company were not allowed to accept diplomatic gifts, often weapons or jewels,[3] known as khilat, from Indian or Middle Eastern rulers and their subjects.

[4] The records of a 1930s East India Company toshakhana at Bushire show that weapons and ammunition were kept in bulk for giving to the Trucial Coast sheikhs.

[5] Two particularly rare items kept in the toshakhana of the Golden Temple are a richly bejeweled canopy, and a chandoa (a diamond-encrusted piece of cloth hung over the Guru Granth Sahib).

[6] A present from the Nizam of Kingdom of Hyderabad[7] to Maharaja Ranjit Singh was reportedly considered too lavish a gift and was sent to the Golden Temple, as well as a chandan da chaur (flywhisk) made of sandalwood fibres which took years for Haji Muhammad Maskin, a Muslim craftsman to prepare.

As per a June 1978 gazette notification, every gift received by a person during an official visit should be deposited in the toshakhana within 30 days of his return.

Many years ago, a minister who received an expensive gold-plated watch from a Gulf sheikh, told the legislature when caught that being "busy" he had "forgot to declare" the gift.