Return of the palki: Bearing the weight of nostalgia

There was a time when in Bangladesh, nobody could even think of a wedding without a 'palki' (palanquin). In this modern day and age though, the tradition has all but disappeared. How many of us have actually seen a palki in real life? 

But as enthusiasts look to add a dash of nostalgia to modern weddings, the age old tradition seems poised to make a comeback. 

Fortunately for them, palki-makers like Mahidul Islam are still carrying on with this age-old tradition. Sitting in his Keraniganj workshop one morning, the palki-maker with 25 years of experience in the business, shared his story and intricacies of the craft.

Mahidul was born in Barishal, but early in his childhood, his father moved to Dhaka along with the entire family. Growing up, Mahidul worked in various professions, but the idea of making palkis for business never crossed his mind — the first palki he made was purely as a passion project. 

Then he made another one, and now he had two palkis with nowhere to put them. So he decided to test if a business surrounding the ancient mode of transportation could work in this day and age.

As the golden days of the palkis were long gone when he decided to go into business, Mahidul did not earn much in the beginning.

However, he persevered and the business slowly gained traction.

"To date, I have made 20 palkis. I provide different kinds of palkis: bou palki, moyur palki, chair palki, dim palki, etc," he said.

A light but strong framework is required for making a palki, which Mahidul buys from steel shops, and then adds wood and other materials for decoration. Some of the palkis cost him nearly Tk1 lakh. 

His popularity has now spread from Dhaka city to the rest of the country. If you go to any wedding accessories or flower shops in the city, Mahidul's advertisement for 'Kohinoor Palki and Decor' might catch your eye. 

In recent years, Mahidul has been regularly getting calls for weddings at renowned community centres of Dhaka and at times, from out of the city. 

For one palki and four bearers, Mahidul charges Tk3,000 for weddings in Keraniganj and Old Dhaka. However, he charges Tk5,000-7,000 for weddings in elite areas like Gulshan or Banani. If good remuneration is offered, he also takes orders from outside Dhaka. In that case, their travel costs have to be covered.

As winter is the peak wedding season in Bangladesh, palki providers like Mahidul are also busiest during that time of the year. But they have to save up during the November-January period for the rest of the year as they can hardly earn during the monsoon.

Photo: Mehedi Hasan

Palkis still a luxury

In ancient times, palkis were considered a vehicle of the gods. Later, the rich used them for daily commute and finally an integral part of wedding ceremonies. 

"Though the rent for a palki is not too high today, only the affluent in the society use it," said Mahidul. Thus they are mostly seen at the bigger community centres in cities. 

"We work at the Officer's Club, Ladies Club, Hotel Sheraton, and other big centres in Dhaka. You will find us at Khoka community centre, and all other centres of Lalbagh and Old Dhaka too," he added.

Sometimes he also travels outside Dhaka. In those cases, his customers are always among the affluent. "Outside Dhaka, not everyone can afford it." 

Today, the palanquin business is much easier than before, as bearers do not actually have to go miles carrying the vehicle on their backs. 

But one tradition has stuck around. Back in the days, to distract themselves from the physical stress of carrying the palkis, the beares would sing songs and engage in conversation. Nowadays, though the distance from the wedding venue to the car is short, Mahidul and his bearers can be heard talking, laughing and singing. 

"The intention behind this is to entertain the guests. If we can't bring joy, what's the point?" said Mahidul.

"Palkis disappeared for many years. But now, people rent palkis for various occasions. Our business is thriving. It makes a low-budget wedding beautiful, adding sparkle and glamour."

For a while, Mahidul was the only one providing this service, but now many more have entered the business. "Some of my workers started their own business. But I'm the pioneer of this resurgence. Let's see how far I can go."

Photo: Mehedi Hasan

Jack of all trades, master of one

While palkis are his bread and butter, Mahidul's business also covers other decor related to weddings.

He provides various ancient wedding accessories. For those who want to marry in ancient royal style, he has decorated horses or elephants, swords, and even crowns. If asked, he can even manage pipers, band parties or any other amusement accessories. 

Circumcision ceremonies or annual Urs Sharif celebrations at various shrines have also become a revenue source for Mahidul. He also rents out various costumes for birthdays, including Mickey Mouse, Motu-Patlu, tiger, and teddy bear costumes for Tk1,000 each. 

Mahidul can also arrange for food stalls at events with mouthwatering items like fuchka, jhalmuri, and chotpoti. He can even manage to set up a merry-go-round at the venue. Then there is his collection of traditional items like bioscopes, which he rents out at Tk8,000 per day.