Zamindars' carved palanquins draw crowds at National Museum: Faridpur bed 123 inches long, Lohagara's 125

The huge palanquins on display in galleries 31 and 32 of the woodcraft section of the Department of Ethnography and Decorative Art at the National Museum in Dhaka are drawing visitors in a special way. Decorated with figures of fairies, lions, deer and many other motifs, these beds bear witness to Bengal's rich woodcraft tradition.

According to information provided by the museum authorities, these two galleries draw the largest crowds of visitors. The wooden artworks hold a special attraction for people of all ages and professions, from children to the elderly.

Businessman Rakib Hasan, who came to the museum with his family on Wednesday afternoon, was showing the palanquins to his children. He said: 'The children had never seen a palanquin, so I brought them here to see them. They were very happy to see the fairies, mermaids, lions and tigers.'

Visitors are most attracted by two palanquins used by the zamindars of Lohagara in Narail and of Faridpur. The National Museum collected the Faridpur zamindar's palanquin in 1976.

Made in the nineteenth century, the Faridpur palanquin is 123 inches long and 27 inches wide. Human figures, female figures and the forms of lions, deer and elephants are carved into its posts and frame.

The palanquin used by the zamindar of Lohagara in Narail, on the other hand, was collected in 1978 from Itna village in Lohagara. It is 125 inches long, 101 inches wide and 133 inches high. According to the seller, it had been used by the Lohagara zamindar.

The Lohagara palanquin has four huge wooden posts with spiral designs at its four corners. Its legs are shaped like fairies, and the back carries vegetal, floral and vine-and-leaf designs.

Woodcraft, or wood carving, is an important branch of folk art in Bengali culture, and the ornamented palanquin is a notable example of that art. A palanquin was not merely furniture for sleeping or resting; its designs expressed the craftsmen's skill and artistic sense.

Beds and palanquins had various names according to their features, including Jatrasiddhi, Sarbasiddhi, Bijaya, Ashtamangala, Joy, Mangal, Preyan, Chitrakanta and Mancha. The book 'Jukti Kalpataru' divides beds into four classes — Durdarshi, Dirghadarshi, Durlanghya and Durasad — and describes beds of these classes as comfortable for kings.

In ancient and medieval Bengal, palanquins were used in the homes of kings, zamindars and the wealthy. In those days, designs were carved into wood with chisels, hammers and gouges.

In her book 'Bangladesher Darushilpa' (The Woodcraft of Bangladesh), Zinat Mahrukh Banu, former keeper of the Department of Ethnography and Decorative Art, wrote that although bed-making followed classical influence, the ornamentation expressed the artist's own style. Later, the arrival of foreign merchants and travellers and the influence of neighbouring countries brought changes to Bengal's furniture craft.

Zinat Mahrukh Banu said high-quality ornamented palanquins were once made in the Jessore, Khulna, Tangail, Mymensingh, Cumilla, Faridpur and Sylhet regions. Carpenters worked on monthly contracts in the homes of zamindars and the wealthy, and a single palanquin could take two to three years to make.

She added that the choice of wood was important for making a durable and artistic palanquin. Palanquins were usually made from teak, jackfruit, garjan, jarul and mahogany wood.

According to the description in 'Bangladesher Darushilpa', the legs of royal palanquins were made as 'singhapaya' in the shape of a lion's paw. Three-dimensional and two-dimensional designs were carved into the head and foot of the bed, showing vines and leaves, roses, paisley motifs, peacocks, pairs of swans and figures of fairies.

Besides beds and palanquins, the museum's woodcraft galleries display ornamented wooden chests, fences, doors, palki litters, dheki husking pedals, thrones, chairs and female sculptures. According to the Department of Ethnography and Decorative Art, the department's store holds 214 wooden artworks, of which 46 are on display in the two galleries.

Because they are made of wood, the palanquins are at risk of damage from changes in humidity and attacks by fungus and insects, museum sources said. Regular monitoring, suitable environmental control and scientific preservation are essential to keep the historical and aesthetic features of these objects intact.

Asma Ferdousi, keeper (additional charge) of the Department of Ethnography and Decorative Art, said: 'Every object is monitored regularly. We have our own laboratory, where the condition of the objects is examined and preservation measures are taken as needed.'