Beyond The Throne: The Untold Story of India's Seats and Chairs

Coins issued in the Gupta period (3rd century CE), folios from Jain manuscripts (c.13th century CE), miniature paintings from Basholi (17th century CE) and Rajasthan, and architectural elements like step-wells (baoris), which doubled as spaces for retreat, adorned with platforms, galleries, ledges and backrests - all depict various inventive forms of elevated seating.

THRONES

Initially reserved for those in positions of authority like kings and learned persons, the common terms for the highest chair were rajasana (king's throne), or mayurasana (peacock throne) and simhasana (lion throne).

One of the earliest examples is the throne of Rao Setaram of Kannauj (12th century CE), which is structurally similar to an ordinary chair, has a high reclining back, arms and a footrest.

Another iconic example is the Peacock Throne, commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1628. It was ascended by silver steps and backed with two peacock plumes, gilded, enamelled, inset with diamonds and semi-precious stones. (Agra, 1635; and Red Fort, Delhi, 1648)

JHOOLAS - Swings

For centuries, swings have been an allegory of amatory, festivity and celebration, and their dynamic form evokes a sense of exuberance. While early literary references to swings can be seen in the Vedas, later visual depictions are seen in miniature paintings from the Mughal period as well as Deccan-style paintings from Bijapur.

Even today, the regions of Mathura and Vrindavan in northern India celebrate the Jhulan (Swing) Festival - that extols the love between Radha and Krishna, with elaborate swings, song and dance.

In their simplest forms, swings were constructed with a wooden board that was suspended from a tree. More elaborate versions for couples were made from silver or brass and decorated with trimmings, bolsters and gaddas (mattresses).

Suspended either inside homes, or outside in courtyards, swings are still found in larger abodes and are often considered symbols of luxury.

LOW STOOLS

Low stools were used by people of all social standings due to their ease of mobility. They were occasionally adorned with cushions or elaborate carvings. Puranic references to low stools can be found in sculptures of the Ikshyaku dynasty.

BOLSTERS

Bolsters were used by both royalty and commoners. They were often seen in Mughal miniatures of the 16th century.

Generally strewn across carpets and rugs, the bolsters’ bulbous forms could be used not only as elevated forms of seating but also as backrests and armrests.

CHARPAI

The charpai derives its name from the Hindi words 'char' and ‘pai’ which literally translate into ‘four legs’.

While the divan - a more affluent version of the charpai - became symbolic to royalty, during the Mughal period, the charpai gained popularity with the common man.

The portable structure of the charpai made it a simple, economic staple in Indian households. Its versatility ranged from its use for sleeping or seating multiple people at spontaneous gatherings to being stacked away when not in use.

CHOWKIE

A chowkie refers to a low square stool that was, at times, enhanced with a carved backrest.

Although commonly found in prayer rooms in Indian homes, the chowkie could serve additional purposes, such as a footstool.

PATLA

The patla is a form of low seating that is generally present in various religious ceremonies and rituals in India.

It is traditionally made out of wood and is rectangular in shape. The patla is lower than the chowkie - elevated just barely off of the floor.

KURSI

Etymologically, kursi (chair) has its origin in Arabic for ‘throne’, which finds its way to Turkish, Persian, Hindi and Urdu, with similar meaning.

PEACOCK CHAIR

The flared, high-arched back of this tall, statuesque type of chair evokes the canopy-like structure of the 17th-century mayurasana (Peacock Throne) used by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. It is christened the ‘hourglass chair’ owing to the eponymous shape of its base. Descendants of the peacock chair were made of materials such as wrought iron, gold-toned metal wire, or oak and metal, and were occasionally coated with a brightly coloured paint.

This version of the peacock chair is made out of intricately woven cane, and has a round, cushioned seat. The fantail-like back is elaborately woven in a jaali-like pattern, similar to the latticed architectural element found in Indo-Islamic monuments.

X-CHAIR

The X-Chair developed in Italy during the late 15th to early 16th Century and is associated with Girolamo Savonarola, a preacher form the Renaissance period. However, its inlay work is reminiscent of Indo-Islamic craftsmanship.

Known as the X-Chair or Scissor Chair, this folding chair is supported by two curved intersecting wooden structures that form the letter X. The top-rail is connected to the back of the straight arms, and the narrow seat is held in place by the wooden slats on either sides.

This rendition of the chair features elaborate carvings along with meticulous inlay design similar to the Indo-Islamic style. The wooden back rail has motifs resembling peacocks, and the handrails are inlaid with designs resembling jaguar heads.

CARVED ORNAMENTAL CHAIR

Indo-Dutch furniture was marked by skilled carpentry and craftsmanship. Although this style of furniture appeared simple, it consisted of intricate carvings, indicative of trained artistic hands. Some of the carvings were evocative of the decorative Batavian style from Java, Indonesia, the then administrative seat of the Dutch in the East.

This chair, with its slightly angled back, was probably made from dark ebony. It is elaborately carved with ornate, yet elegant, motifs of flowers, birds, deities and stylised foliage on the backrest and along the periphery of the seat. Images of deities appear on either end of the top-rail, as well as in the centre of the seat. Ornate scrollwork with floral designs adorn the frontal S-shaped portion of the legs.

FOLDING CHAIR WITH ARMRESTS

Indo-Portuguese style furniture originated at the climax of Portuguese supremacy in India, between 1510 to the mid-1630s, and continued until the late 19th Century. These types of folding chairs had an open, comfortable form and were usually made out of cane or rattan.

This stately folding chair is in the Goan style, a type of Indo-Portuguese style, and is crafted using rosewood and woven cane. The vertical slats of the back extend seamlessly to form one set of rear legs. The ends of the curved armrests of the chair comprise heads of a serpent-like creature. The legs are carved in the Marlborough style - straight, squared, plain, and tapered in the ends. The back has an intricately woven central panel with a crest rail carved in a foliate pattern.

BURGOMASTER CHAIR

The name of the Burgomaster Chair is derived from the Dutch word ‘burgemeester’, which translates into ‘mayor’, attributing a higher status to this chair. This chair, popularly known as a round chair, was made in the East Indies - Indonesia, South India, and Sri Lanka - since the late 1600s while India was under the Dutch East India Company, and attained its name ‘Burgomaster’ only in the 19th century.

Initially used as single, standalone pieces, they were also found in sets of four or six which suggests that these chairs were not always suggestive of rank.

This chair is made of wood - probably teak - and has a cane seat. The circular, cane seat is backed by a concave, open backrest that consists of two rows of evenly spaced spindles. The finials are devoid of heavy ornamental carvings, an otherwise common stylistic element of such chairs.

PLANTATION CHAIR

The plantation chair (or the planter’s chair) was commissioned by the British during their rule in India. They were traditionally made out of mahogany, rosewood or teak, had low seats woven out of cane or rattan, and a reclining back. Designed for comfort, this type of chair, also known as the easy chair or chaise lounge, consisted of two long arms, and a lower section that extended as a footrest.

In addition to being shipped to Britain, these chairs became a common sight at waiting rooms of railway stations in India. It continues to be a popular fixture in most spacious homes, libraries, and clubhouses in present day Mumbai, Kolkata and Goa.

This plantation chair is made of wood, probably teak, and has a seat made of either can or rattan. The chair has sturdy legs with a series of rounded ridges carved at regular interval. The reeded leg is similar to a fluted leg, except that the former is convex as opposed to concave. The rear legs are of a sabre style, flaring out marginally.

CABRIOLE-LEG CHAIR

The Georgian cabriole-leg chair was a solid, yet elegant structure. Often, it strongly evoked a Chippendale style which was popular in Calcutta, India, in the late 18th century.

This chair combines the French Rococo with the English Chippendale style to create a product with a yoke-shaped top-rail, a pierced vertical back-slat with sharply carved foliate scrolls, and an upholstered seat raised on finely structured legs. The front legs are of the lion’s feet design - a type of cabriole design - and the rear legs are of the Marlborough style - a block-foot base without any elaborate carvings.

FOLDING CHAIR

Camping furniture, such as the folding chair, became popular during the colonial rule in India due to ease of portability. The folding chairs featured a pivot directly under the seat that could be shifted to a right angle when the chair needed to be unfolded for use. Folding chairs continue to be common features in houses where temporary seating is required.

This folding chair does not have a full distinct backrest, but has a broad, curved top-rail with upward bent edges. The backrest is connected to the front legs that tilts from the back and crosses the seat neat the centre; narrow stretchers connect the legs of the chair.

TEXTILE FOLDING CHAIR

The textile folding chair was an example of British camping furniture. This chair was the result of the combination of the planter’s chair with the Roorkhee chair. The chair consisted of two primary components - a wooden frame and long armrests that were characteristic of the planter’s chairs, and the durable canvas seat that was typical of the Roorkhee chair used by the Indian Army Corps of Engineers in Roorkhee. These types of chairs were simple, functional, portable and durable.

The wooden frame for the reclining back of this folding chair is affixed with a foldable canvas that extends to form the backrest as well as the seat. The backrest, above the arms, has a wing-like protrusion. A couple-railed footrest forms a conduit-like structure between the two forelegs.

HAMMOCK CHAIR

British camping furniture included hammock chairs - large, imposing chairs with ample leg rest. Owing to their sturdy frames and adjustable reclining backs, these chairs were used for leisure and comfort.

In this particular hammock chair, form and function takes precedence over aesthetic quality. The plank along the top-rail has a simple scallop-shaped design with slight protrusion at the ends. The folding, slender legs are rounded at the joints, and have H-shaped stretchers running between the rear legs.

RAM-HEAD CHAIR

Indo-Saracenic styles featured an amalgamation of European form with regal Indian and Mughal ornamentation and design. The wood used in this type of furniture was adorned with intricate silverware and rich, cushioned seating, similar to Mughal thrones.

The curved top-rail of the chair has an intricately carved finial that runs parallel to the back slat, and its front legs flare out slightly indicating they sabre style. The cushioned seating is designed with repeating, identical forms. The ram head’s earlier appearance could be attributed to the jewelled and enamelled daggers of the Mughal period.

LOCKWOOD CHAIR

On his first visit to India in the early 1880s, prolific American interior and furniture designer Lockwood de Forest collaborated with philanthropist Mugganbhai Hutheesing to form the Ahmedabad Wood Carving Company (AWCC). Produced at the AWCC by local craftsmen, these chairs are emblematic of the Aesthetic Movement of the late-19th Century, characterised by love for beauty, ornamentation and decoration in addition to functionality.

This chair has a straight back and is upholstered with richly embroidered fabric. In terms of ornamentation, it combines Indian, North African and Far Eastern design motifs. Its back is delicately chiselled with a scroll-like pattern, and the crest is shaped in a club-like formation. The frieze overhanging the seat also has a carved floral pattern. The legs are of the cabriole style with an S-shaped structure.

BOMBAY BLACKWOOD CHAIR

The chair with a low seat and four curved legs was of the ‘prie-dieu’ style, and was designed specifically for prayer. The low, upholstered seat was meant for kneeling, and the crest of the backrest was used as an elbow-rest.

However, this type of chair probably served a secular purpose in the living rooms of wealthy households. Bombay Blackwood furniture, patronised by the British and wealthy Parsi families in the Bombay Presidency, was characterised by bulky, ornate features.

This chair consists of an intricately carved frame with decorative elements such as fruits, vines, foliage, birds, and serpentine creatures. The curved front legs feature a lion-like figure, while the rear legs are thin and nimble.

SANKHEDA CHAIR

The Sankheda style originates from the town of Sankheda in Gujarat. The Sankheda chair-crafting process consisted of five stages - the creation of individual teak wood elements on a pedhe or lathe; the painting of designs on tin attached to these pieces; the application of a lac coat; the polishing of the lac with a kevada leaf and groundnut oil; and the combination of these sections into a single product.

The tin-painted patterns changed colour once heated and lined with lac. Due to the limitations imposed by the technique and materials used, the finished products had a fixed range of colours such as brown, orange, maroon, and gold.

This Sankheda Chair is a straight-backed armchair in a cube-like form. The boldness of the structure is evoked through the tiered pattern of spindles that hold the frame of the back. The two edges of the backrest are topped with finials.

GRASS-SEATED CHAIR

George Nakashima created a new version of the Grass-Seated Chair during his time in Ahmedabad’s National Institute of Design in 1964. Along with creating a strong, yet lightweight piece of furniture by combing technology with craftsmanship, he also formulated his own definition of modernism.

The Grass-Seated Chair reflects traditional Japanese woodworking methods. The simplicity of the design can be seen in its backrest supported by finely structured stiles and curved semicircular top-rail. The rectangular seat is woven using twine made out of natural grass, and the chair is supported by four slender legs that comprise a H-shaped stretcher.

The dowel construction work on the joints skirting the seat is deliberately made visible and parallels Nakashima’s philosophy pf exposing structure in design.

CROSS EASY CHAIR

Designed by the Swiss architect and furniture designer Pierre Jeanneret during his stay in Chandigarh in the 1950s, the Cross Easy Chair was an example of a sculptural, elegant piece of furniture from the Modernist period in postcolonial India.

The minimal and humble design of this chair involves braided cane-work. The armrests and legs are structured at sharp, well-defined angles, and the seat is broad enough to provide comfort to the sitter.

The sleek design of the chair, along with the slightly elevated armrest, cane backrest and seat are indicative of the combination of Modernist and colonial design.

GODREJ STEEL CHAIR

The tubular steel chair was first designed by Bauhaus designers Marcel Breuer and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe between 1925 and 1927, and drew inspiration from the tubular steel frame of a bicycle.

In 1930-31, Thonet introduced Model B32, Marcel Breuer’s first cantilevered tubers steel chair which had a great influence on the stylisation of similar chairs.

This version of the tubular chair by Godrej consists of a single tubular steel pipe that continues from the armrest to the base of the chair. The spring effect of the cantilever enhances comfort. The Godrej tubular chair combines hardwood and tubular steel to produce a sturdy, durable and ergonomic product.

ROUND CHAIR

The Art Deco style came into Bombay in the 1920s and stems from a fascination with movement and speed characteristic to transportation of the Machine Age.

The bold form and clean ribbed lines of the cushioned back of this chair evokes a sense of dynamism. The wooden base of the armless chair is akin to a stool or an ottoman, and its fan-shaped flared back is typical of the Art Deco style.