Nuptial delight: A phaeton in Patna. BSTDC is now offering a carriage on hire for weddings. Telegraph picture

Patna, Nov. 29: Lend a royal touch to your loved one’s wedding, hire a phaeton.

The luxury carriages have so far been the privilege of the elite, but Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) is now offering this service to commoners on hire for adding unmatched exclusivity to marriage ceremonies. Two bookings for the service within a week prove that the public is game to the BSTDC’s proposal. Wedding planners, too, have given it a thumbs-up.

BSTDC had procured four phaetons, styled on those of the Victorian era, from a Patiala-based firm in September at a cost of Rs 1.75 lakh for each. While two of these phaetons run at the eco-tourism site of Ghorakatora in Rajgir, one chariot plies in the state capital between the old secretariat and Raj Bhavan. The fourth phaeton would be rented out for marriage ceremonies.

“The corporation has started accepting bookings for the phaeton for marriage purposes last week. It can be booked either for four or six hours for Rs 16,000 and Rs 20,000 respectively. An added 10.3 per cent service taxes is also payable on each booking. The response for this service seems good, as we have already received two bookings,” said Naveen Kumar, deputy general manager of BSTDC. He added that the scheme is open to everyone and no preference is given to the elite or high-profile people.

Delighted on giving a royal touch to his son’s wedding, Anup Raj Yadav, the first person to book the phaeton, said: “On November 23, I booked a horse-drawn BSTDC phaeton for six hours for my son Amit’s wedding to be held on January 28. Apart from bringing back memories of the Victorian era and giving a royal feeling, it was more of a dream to see my son, Amit, riding a phaeton along with his younger brothers in the baraat procession,” said Anup.

Wedding planers in the city are also upbeat about the BSTDC’s new move. “The idea of using chariots in wedding processions is not a new one, but going by the emphasis on style and class in wedding ceremonies in Patna nowadays, I believe that this scheme is going to be a hit. Though people belonging to the middle-class might find the charges for these chariots a bit steep, it is likely to be a highly sought-after option for those who do not tend to compromise on a fantasy because of cost factor,” said Shouvik Narain, one of the partners in a city-based event manage- ment company.

Subhash Chandra Srivastva, the second person to book the chariot echoed Shouvik’s claim. “Marriage usually takes place only once in everyone’s life and people want to make it a grand event. So I don’t think that spending a few thousands of rupees more on these phaetons would be a big financial burden on most people. Accordingly, on November 26, I have booked the BSTDC phaeton for four hours for my son’s wedding on December 3,” said Srivastva.