THE FIRST SEAT: WHY THE NAYI BAHU SITS ON A PIDHA

There is a timeless folk song often heard during weddings in Haryana and Punjab, sung by the women of the groom’s family with joy and anticipation:

"Nayi bahu laye ge, pidhe par bithaye ge." (We will bring the new bride home, and we will seat her on the Pidha.)

Have you ever wondered why? In a house full of charpais, chairs, and perhaps modern sofas, why is the Pidha—that humble, low-woven stool—chosen as the first seat for the Lakshmi (the bride) of the house?

At Panchal International, we believe the answer lies in the deep cultural intelligence of our ancestors.

The Symbolism of the Low Seat

The Pidha is distinct from all other furniture. It is grounded. It places the sitter close to the earth, yet elevated enough to offer dignity and comfort.

When a new bride enters her husband's home, the act of sitting on the Pidha is a ritual of grounding. It signifies her arrival not just as a guest, but as a permanent member of the household’s inner sanctum. Unlike the high chairs of the outer world, the Pidha is intimate. It is the seat of the hearth, the kitchen, and the private courtyard where the women of the house bond, share stories, and pass on wisdom.

To seat the bride on the Pidha is to welcome her into the heart of the family.

The Trousseau: A Piece of Home

This is also why the Pidha is an essential part of the Bridal Trousseau.

Traditionally, a mother gifts her daughter a set of Pidhas to take to her new home. This is the "Shagun" (the auspicious gift). It is a silent message from the mother: "May you always have a seat of your own. May you always be comfortable."

For the bride, this small piece of furniture becomes an emotional anchor. In a new environment, sitting on the Pidha woven by artisans from her region offers a tangible, comforting connection to her maternal home.

Conserving the Emotion

Over the years, we noticed a tragedy. The traditional wooden Pidhas given as Shagun were often fragile. They would creak, the joints would loosen, and eventually, this cherished memory would be discarded.

We asked ourselves: Shouldn't a blessing be permanent?

This thought drove the design of our "Shagun" Steel Pidha. We kept the authentic dimensions—the wide, comfortable 19-inch seat and the traditional low height. We kept the intricate, auspicious hand-weaving patterns using pure Resham ropes.

But we changed the core. We built the frame from heavy-duty Stainless Steel. We engineered it to be rust-proof and unbreakable.

A Modern Heirloom

Today, when a family buys a pair of "Shagun" Pidhas from Panchal International for a wedding, they are not just buying stools. They are ensuring that the bride's first seat lasts a lifetime.

We build them strong so that twenty years from now, that same bride—now a matriarch—can still sit on that same Pidha, recounting the story of the day she first arrived.

"Nayi bahu laye ge..." The song remains the same. We just made sure the seat lasts as long as the memory.