You’ve heard of haldi-doodh being rediscovered by the west as the hipster turmeric latte, but it seems the humble Indian charpoy (khatiya) has got its own moment in the sun.
An elaborate ad by an Australian man describes the cot as an ‘extremely comfortable, traditional Indian daybed,’ is going viral on social media. But the charpoy’s price has raised quite a few eyebrows: it can be yours for just Australian $990 or Rs 50,000.
The advertisement claims that the charpoy is ‘hand-woven’ using manila rope and can be customized as per the buyers’ specifications. It is made of maple timber and boasts of strong mortise and tenon joints.
Sydney resident Daniel Bloore, who is the manufacturer of the beds, first noticed a charpoy during a visit to India in 2010, according to SBS Punjabi. He used one for himself and after making one for a friend, decided to sell them.
Bloore says he dropped a flyer at an Indian grocery shop about six months ago and has been getting an overwhelming response ever since. “The timber and the rope cost almost half of the price and then it takes many hours to make the frame,” he told SBS Punjabi. It takes Bloore a week to make one bed.
In India, where the charpoy is available for a fraction of the price quoted, the advertisement raised quite a few laughs. On Twitter, people found the exorbitant price hilarious.
India Tribune, as an English weekly newspaper, was launched in 1977 in Chicago by its publisher Prashant Shah with a lofty ideal to serve the Asian Indian community in the USA. Over the years, it has grown with all vigor, and now it is being published in three editions – Chicago, New York and Atlanta. India Tribune, a journal of its kind for the family in the USA, has been a household name for many Indians for over three decades with each issue commanding a readership of over 125,000.
