A palanquin is one kind of luxurious transport in which generally rich people travel from one place to another. Being a wheelless vehicle, a few people carry a palanquin on their shoulders from one place to another. The person who carries the load of a palanquin is called the bearer. Initially, such vehicles are believed to have been created to carry the gods and goddesses or their idols. Many temples contain sculptures depicting scenes of deities being carried by palanquins. Later, the noblemen and ladies of the European upper class mainly used it to travel until the introduction of railways in the Indian subcontinent. In the modern age, there is no use for the palanquin. However, in the Indian subcontinent, it is used on a limited scale for weddings, pilgrimages, etc.
The palanquin has been known as Lectica in ancient Rome, Jiao in China, Kieu in Vietnam, Sedan chair in England, Litera in Spain, Palanquin in France, Liteira in Portugal, Wo in Thailand, Gama in Korea, Norimono in Japan, Tahtirevan in Turkey, etc.
Construction
Style:
In Europe, palanquins were made either open or closed suitable for lying. With the help of two poles attached to the opposite sides of the palanquin, palanquin bearers or draught animals pulled the palanquin. The palanquin is thought to have evolved from the concept of a sledge-driven vehicle. It has been manifested in Egyptian paintings. Later, it was also used in the Persian Empire. These issues have been highlighted in books related to Isha. This vehicle is known as a palanquin in eastern countries.
Originally, palanquins were reserved for people of noble descent and high status, like empresses and wives of senators in ancient Rome, but for common people, the use of this vehicle was prohibited. In the seventeenth century, there was an adequate number of palanquins in Europe; both poles of the palanquin were covered in leather for better protection and to maintain privacy. Later, seriously ill patients and injured people were permitted to use palanquins.
Usage:
In London, a palanquin is called a sedan chair. This type of palanquin is designed to accommodate a person with a chair or a cabin with a window. It was carried by at least two people, in front and behind. The bearer came to be known as a porter chairman. It was much less visible in the 19th century, but it was used for centuries as a dignified form of transport in which confined women were passengers. At night, a link-boy with a flaming torch would guide the way from the front of the palanquin. In the 1970s, John Cunningham, an entrepreneur and a resident of Bathwick, briefly brought back the sedan chair.
In China, sedan chairs have some utility in the traditional style. Generally, these are hired and used in the marriage ceremony. The bride is brought wrapped in red silk. Once, sedan chairs were used in public in Hong Kong. Chairs used for public use had to be registered. Taxes had to be paid as well. The user of a private chair or palanquin was considered a person of high status. Government officials used to determine the number of bearers that might be required for this palanquin.
In South Asia, the word "palanquin" has come from the Sanskrit word "palayanka," which means a traveling bed. Around 250 BC, there is a mention of a palanquin in the Ramayana. Wheel-driven rickshaws came into use in the 1930s. As a result, Palanquin started to lose its importance.
The
song of the palanquin bearers:
Old palanquin bearers used to sing a song, “Master’s skin color is black; mistress is a jolly person. Heave ho! careful as we go.” While taking the master somewhere, the bearers would sing, “Heave ho! Steady as we go through the narrow road. Our master is a generous fellow and would pay us well.”
Heiyo (হেঁইও), which means "heave ho" in English, is a call to exertion in heaving.
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