SRINAGAR: A traditional horse-drawn cart, a nostalgic symbol of a bygone era, is making a visible return to the bustling streets of Srinagar. The rhythmic clip-clop of the tonga is once again capturing the attention of residents and visitors alike, offering a slow-paced counterpoint to the city’s modern traffic.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that a 70-year-old Srinagar resident, Ghulam Rasool Kumar, has taken the initiative to reintroduce the tonga, aiming to preserve a significant piece of the region’s cultural heritage. This revival aims to provide a tangible connection to a time when tongas were a common and integral part of daily life across the Kashmir Valley.
For many years, before the widespread adoption of motor vehicles, tongas served as a primary mode of transport, ferrying passengers through markets, residential areas, and along the banks of the Jhelum River. They were a familiar sight, contributing to the unique character of Srinagar’s urban landscape. However, with the advent of cars, auto-rickshaws, and buses, the traditional tonga gradually faded from public view, relegated mostly to memories and historical photographs.
Ghulam Rasool Kumar’s determined effort is now breathing new life into this fading legacy. As the tonga traverses the city’s thoroughfares at its unhurried pace, it has become an immediate point of interest. People of all ages are pausing to observe, with many reminiscing about a time when such rides were a common occurrence. Younger generations are particularly drawn to the spectacle, stopping to capture images or even taking short rides, experiencing a mode of transport they may have only read about.
“I wanted to revive something that belongs to our culture,” Kumar stated, emphasizing his motivation. “This is not just transport, it is part of who we were.” His sentiment highlights the deeper cultural significance attached to the tonga beyond its practical function as a mode of conveyance. The initiative offers more than a simple ride; it provides a moment of respite and reflection in the midst of an increasingly rapid urban pace, a rare commodity in the evolving environment of Srinagar.
As the horse-drawn cart makes its way through the city, children are seen waving, and other road users, including drivers of motorized vehicles, are slowing down to make way. Many onlookers are responding with smiles of recognition or expressions of curiosity, underscoring the emotional connection and intrigue the tonga evokes among the local populace. This revival, according to reports, occurs against a backdrop of recent localized economic concerns, though authorities have assured adequate supplies of essential commodities.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
