Kendrapada: Palanquins are meant only for brides and queens? Such stereotypes are passé. Nowadays, grooms have staked a claim to the special privilege, especially in the coastal district of Kendrapada and surroundings, to reach the wedding venue.A palanquin is a traditional, covered, wheel-less litter, typically a box-like seat or bed carried on poles by two to four bearers on their shoulders.Three to four decades ago, grooms used to arrive in the houses of brides in decorated palanquins. But after the availability of cars and construction of good village roads and bridges, many grooms took to cars. The modern-day palanquin is still wooden and decorated with flowers and velvet upholstery. Satya Ranjan Sahoo (30), a groom of Kendrapada town, rode a palanquin on Wednesday to reach his bride’s house, around 75 km at Bishnupur village.“I travelled 2 km from Bishnupur by car. Thereafter, I sat in a palanquin to reach the marriage venue in a procession. Four palkhivala (palanquin-bearers) carried the palanquin. Each bearer got Rs 1,500 as fee. The palanquin was hired for Rs 5,000,” said Satya.Randhir Rout from Kendrapada, who runs a tent house agency, provides such decorative palanquins.“Nowadays, many parents are preferring palanquin rides for their sons’ marriage processions. I have four palanquins to meet huge demand during the marriage season,” said Rout.According to Paresh Mallick, another tent house owner of Kendrapada, “Demand for palanquin is high this time. This ancient tradition has made a comeback with many people now preferring old-style marriages. Some old Hindi films and TV serials on sundry channels also influenced the grooms and brides to ride palanquins.”Families of many grooms are seeking palanquins. “I bought a palanquin at Rs 45,000 from a carpenter. I also repaired my other two palanquins. But it is difficult to get good horses and horsemen to carry the carriages. I have already got orders of palanquins from around eight families for this marriage season.”The expenditure on the palanquin ride depends on the distance covered.Few carpenters nowadays are competent to carve palanquins. I learnt the art of creating palanquins from my father. I made two palanquins and charged Rs 80,000 from a tent house owner,” said Narendra Moharana, a carpenter of Kendrapada.“We often ride motor cars. But once in a lifetime, one should ride a palanquin while getting marrried,” said Rajiv Rout (28), a groom of Kendrapada, who rode a palanquin recently during his marriage.
