takhtrawan

T1A1K5H4T1R1A1W4A1N1
US/ˈtɑkt.ɹəˌwɑn/UK/ˈtɑːkt.ɹəˌwɑːn/

noun

A covered litter carried by a pair of animals.

First used 1671Scrabble 20

Meanings

nountakhtrawan (plural takhtrawans)

plural takhtrawans · alternative takhtarawan · alternative takht-ravan · alternative takhtravan · alternative tatravan · alternative tahtravan · alternative tahtirevan · alternative takht-rawan · alternative takht rawan · alternative takhtirewan · alternative takht-i rawan · alternative takht-i-rawan · alternative takhterawan · alternative obsolete tackravan · alternative obsolete tack-ravan · alternative obsolete tact-ravan

  1. historicalA covered litter carried by a pair of animals.First known use 1671

    ... a Tackravan, or a Field-Throne of admirable workmanship...

    1671, François Bernier, translated by Henry Oldenburg, The History of the Late Revolution of the Empire of the Great Mogol..., volume II, page 24
    4 more examples

    ... gorgeous Takhtrewan, or litters carried between camels or mules with scarlet and brass trappings ...

    1857, Richard Francis Burton, Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimate to El Medinah and Meccah, volume I, page 400

    An hour after the courier, the takhtrawan (which is a kind of litter borne by two mules) also arrived... her delicate state of health now rendered the exchange of her saddle for the litter most grateful, and even necessary.

    1861, Justin Perkins, Missionary Life in Persia, pages 25-26

    His life was probably saved by Mr. Dwight... requesting the aid of a takhtirewán, the only native carriage known to the Persians. It resembles a sedan-chair, except in being borne by two mules or horses, and closed from the external air, and in requiring a lying posture.

    1870, Rufus Anderson, chapter VI, in History of the Missions of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, volume I

    For men and women who suffer from being in the saddle for so many hours, there is a choice between the "kerjava" and the "takht-i-rawan"... although two mules carry a takht-i-rawan, those who employ this, the superior form of carriage, pay for four mules. The takht-i-rawan is used by great ladies of the Shah's court, by the aged and infirm, and by the ladies of the foreign embassies... One can rarely find a takht-i-rawan when such a carriage is wanted; they are usually built to order, and cost from six to ten pounds sterling.

    1877, Robert Arthur Arnold, Through Persia by Caravan, page 125
  2. historicalAn ornate open litter used as a mobile throne, particularly by the Mughal emperors, usually borne by human porters.
    3 more examples

    Whenever the King takes an excursion in his Paleky, on an elephant, or in a Tact-Ravan (or travelling throne, carried upon the shoulders of eight men, who are cleverly relieved from time to time when on the march by eight others), all the Omrahs who are not prevented by illness, disabled by age, or exempted by a peculiar office, are bound to accompany him on horseback...

    1891, François Bernier, translated by Archibald Constable et al., Travels in the Mogul Empire, A.D. 1656-1668, page 214

    One of the open palanquins which the Mughal emperors, especially Aurangzeb, preferred, was Takht-i rawan. At one occasion in 1662, the Dutch had presented 'several articles of Chinese and Japanese workmanship; among which were a paleky and a Tack-ravan or travelling throne, of exquisite beauty, and much admired'.

    2019 December, Nazer Aziz Anjum, “Officials' Transport in Mughal India”, in Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, volume 80, page 431

    On Friday, 27th October, 1676 A.D. while the Emperor was returning from the Jama mosque and had alighted from the boat in order to mount the movable chair (takht-i-rawan), an ill-fated disciple of Guru Tegh Bahadur threw two bricks, one of which reached the chair. He was seized by the retinue and ordered to be made over to the Kotwal.

    2021 December, Harpreet Kaur, "Guru Tegh Bahadur: Upholder of Democratic Principles", Studies in Sikhism and Comparative Religion, Vol. XLVI No. 2, p. 33

Origin

  1. Frenchtack-ravan
  2. Classical Persianتَخْتِ رَوَان
  3. Englishtakhtrawan

Borrowed from Classical Persian تَخْتِ رَوَان (taxt-i rawān), partially via French tack-ravan, from تَخْت (taxt, “throne, elevated seat or bed”) + رَوَان (rawān, walking, travelling, mobile).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic تَخْتَرَوَان
  • تَخْتَرَوَان (taḵtarawān)Translations
Hindi तख्तावान
  • तख्तावान (takhtāvān)Translations
Persian تخت روان
  • تخت روان (taxt-e ravân)Translations
Turkish tahtırevan
  • tahtırevanTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

takhtrawan. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/takhtrawan

MLA

“takhtrawan.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/takhtrawan. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “takhtrawan,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/takhtrawan.

Source: takhtrawan on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.