From Floor to Throne
The evolution of sitting in the Indian subcontinent is a fascinating journey from ground-level repose to elevated seating, mirroring societal understanding
of the body, divinity, community, and social stratification. Early depictions in art show workers squatting while clients or owners occupied raised stools, illustrating a clear distinction. Prayer rituals often involve sitting cross-legged on mats, connecting with the earth, while deities are consistently placed on elevated surfaces to signify respect. Low seating, prevalent across India, manifests in various forms like the 'paatlo', 'bench', 'charpai', and 'baithak', adaptable for palaces to homes and serving multiple purposes. These aren't mere furniture but act as instruments of social choreography, subtly dictating relationships of deference, care, and authority within domestic spaces. For instance, backrests on low stools were historically associated with gurus and merchants, signifying authority, while those without backrests or sitting on the floor were in listening or subservient roles. The 'paat' or 'patta', a larger raised platform, served collective functions, transforming from a card game or meeting space into a communal seating area for events like weddings. Even within households, seating arrangements often reflected gender and age diversity, with the eldest receiving the most prominent seats and the youngest the most basic, creating a tangible diagram of seniority.
The Modern Chair Arrives
The advent of the modern chair, introduced by the British and Portuguese, marked a shift in aspirations, becoming a status symbol seen in offices, restaurants, clubs, and elite homes by the early 1900s. Sitting on a 'kursi' was not just about comfort but about signifying one's position relative to others, especially those still using traditional seating like the 'charpai'. The 'Planter's Chair', a symbol of leisure and a British favorite, featured flexible fabric or cane, ideal for the humid Indian climate. Variations in wood usage distinguished designs: Dutch and Portuguese styles favored rosewood, while the British preferred Burma teak and mahogany. Dining chairs brought men and women together, but armchairs often served to isolate men, offering them a refuge from domestic and work demands, thereby reinforcing household power dynamics. Advertisements from the 1950s depict men relaxing in armchairs while women were often shown in more upright, less leisurely positions with children. The design landscape evolved with the Art Deco movement, moving towards narrower seats and wooden arms, and later, designer pieces like the Eames and Barcelona chairs became aspirational for the wealthy. Post-independence, Indian companies like Godrej & Boyce and Army and Navy stores began producing standardized furniture lines. While factory manufacturing aimed to democratize furniture, the emergence of specialized 'chief executive' chairs with higher backs and softer cushioning shows that modern seating can still perpetuate hierarchy. Designers later experimented with materials like tubular frames and lightweight polypropylene, leading to the ubiquitous, stackable, and mass-produced Monobloc chair, favored for its mobility and convenience at events and in homes.
Indian Chair Legacy
Beyond the notable Chandigarh Chair designed in the 1950s by Pierre Jeanneret and his team, India's furniture design legacy has limited international recognition. Exhibitions like 'A History of India through Chairs' by the House of Mahendra Doshi aim to showcase Indian craftsmanship and material potential, featuring restored pieces from the 19th century onwards that reflect Dutch, Portuguese, French, and British influences acquired within India. The identities of the original carpenters or designers often remain unknown, highlighting a gap in acknowledging indigenous artistry. However, with advancements in wood and technology, there is significant scope for tapping into the international market. Contemporary interest from individuals in their 30s, who are house-proud and willing to invest in period furniture, signifies a growing appreciation for heritage pieces. Designers like Ajay Shah emphasize that good design, while not necessarily unaffordable, can significantly enhance a space's value and quality. He stresses the need for India to move beyond mere craft and integrate design development into its practices. Creating iconic furniture requires a long-term commitment from companies, founder passion, a dedication to design innovation, exploration of new materials and technologies, and sustained effort. Designers are now proposing less formal, more flexible lifestyles through their furniture lines, emphasizing form, material, and color. The nation's relationship with furniture has evolved from customisation of appearance to thoughtful placement, influenced by factors like Vaastu for decision-making alignment. Subverting these notions, Mahatma Gandhi's practice of sitting on the floor, even when meeting dignitaries, was a deliberate act to challenge British authority and promote indigenous values, mirroring his broader campaigns against foreign goods and violence.
