Kamat fixes a nawar cot

© K.L.Kamat

Autograph of Morarji Desai
See Also: Morarji Desai, Prime Minister of India

Cutting the straps to required length

Nawar -cots were and still are quite popular in North India where the weather during the long summer is extremely hot. The straps of cotton, i.e. nawars and four bare legs of light wood or bamboo are all that are needed to fix a cot. This could be moved from place to place easily. During summer, people sleep on the roof tops or open verandas carrying these nawar-cots with them. It only requires strong arms and deft fingers to inter weave the straps which could be rolled and kept aside when not needed.

©

Autograph of

Sewing the nawar straps

Kamat was so fond of such cots that even when he settled down in Bangalore, which has temperate climate, he opted for nawar-cots and wove them himself.

By the way, nawar cots do not require any bedding. Just a sheet and cushion will do, since the cotton straps are soft but strong.

© K.L.Kamat

Autograph of Vallabhbhai Patel

Relaxing on the fixed cot

Nowadays steel legs and plastic straps have replaced wood and cotton, snatching ordinary people from their eco-friendly living, which had passed down through the ages.