palki

Borrowed from Hindi पालकी (pālkī), from Sanskrit पल्यङ्क (palyaṅka). The same origin as palanquin.

palki (plural palkis)

1. (South Asia, now chiefly historical) A litter or palanquin. [from 17th c.]
   • 1884, Miriam S. Knight, The Poison Tree‎:

     If one was seen alone, the devoted Hindustani Durwans followed, calling out "Ma Thakurani," and, preventing them from bathing, brought a palki.

   • 1909, Cecil Henry Bompas, Folklore of the Santal Parganas‎:

     The wedding party came to a halt at the foot of the tree and some of them lay down to eat and the Raja got out of his palki and lay down to sleep in the shade.

   • 1914, C. A. Kincaid, Deccan Nursery Tales‎:

     At first the uncle declined, but when a palki was sent for them, he and his nephew entered it.

   • 2008, Amitav Ghosh, Sea of Poppies, Penguin, published 2015, page 32:

     The music had accompanied her as she was carried, in a palki, from the riverbank to the threshold of her new home […]

• palkee

• Lipka