Bullock Carts in Delhi

Unbelievable! Yes, bullock carts ply in Delhi with as much ease as you and I walk in it. Difficult to comprehend well, I too did. My hunt for it started as I had to write on India’s mighty bullock power. There were realms of data in all publications, but when I wanted to get images see it in action, it was Nada - nothing.

The general refrain, farmers prefer tractors and no one really wants to maintain bullocks. Bullocks were definitely seen as going backwards. The official agencies were talking of hi-tech farms run on modern technology and my insisting on information on bullocks was retrograde. When I quoted figures which said that average land holding of farms was small and fragmented, most farmers still used bullock power and as number prove it was high….at last the doors opened.

The first find, is of bullock carts driven for carting goods in my own backyard….yes cosmopolitan, capital of the country, Delhi still uses it to ferry goods, almost surreptitiously, in the wholesale market areas. The bullock carts are drawn by just one bullock given the space constraints on the roads. The markets of Chandni Chowk, the old market place which houses whole sellers of almost all items – from grains, clothes, tyres, chemicals, spices…..the bullock pulled carts run from the Sadar Bazaar (another whole sale market) to Naya Bazar Anaj Mandi (grain market - from where the goods are transported on rickshaws or physically carried). These though are drawn by a single bullock. It is interesting how the animal neatly navigates itself without any problem in a road with plying Cars, Mercs, Autos, Bikes, rickshaws, Horse carriages…

My attempts to photograph were shunned with a request, you will get us in trouble with the authorities. But the fact is that Bullock Carts are used regularly to run the business and cart goods in the entire Old Delhi area and beyond. One can see it towards Rohtak, Nangloi, East Delhi, Kondli….

Location – Sadar Bazaar, Chandni Chowk, Kondli….

How to get there – Take the Metro or an auto from Connaught Place.

Timings – It can be seen on the roads on nearly all days.

Highlight – It is fun the way the drivers race the empty bullock carts to fill it up for the next ferry.  

Insider Tip – If you are looking to transport goods, then this bit may come handy. Go haggle and understand the system of transportation and the price. For tourist value, like I went, just go, enjoy the site. Once upon a time, travelling in a bullock cart driven by a pair of bullocks was a status symbol. Remiscent of the past. It can have tourist potential, but who cares these days. Take a dekko and store it in your memory for prosperity!!! 

The last of the Tongas – Tongas at Sadar Bazaar.

Tongas or Horse Drawn Carriages were once the preferred mode of transport in and around Delhi. Old timers would recall taking the Tonga from Old Delhi, from the Railway Stations (Old Delhi, New Delhi & Nizamuddin) to various parts of the city. My father remembers arriving in Delhi (the first time from Pune and it has to become his home ever since!!) in winter on Guru Nanak’s birthday and taking the tonga to Lodhi Road. Even now it brings memories of a wonderful ride, the cold, empty broad roads and a wonderful fast paced horse.

The horses, horsemen still exist today removed from the Minto bridge area but active in the Sadar Thana area near Sadar Bazaar (near Bara Tutti). The horses ply from there to the Metro Station, the Sadar Bazaar, Naya Bazaar, Sadar Mandi areas and to Karol Bagh. It might be a curio to residents from other parts of Delhi, but for the locals taking the tonga is a way of life. And no tonga remains empty for long, being filled with passengers soon. Each of the Tongas take 6 – 8 passengers. A stand, a time table and the tongas ply with casual ease. The tonga drivers equally polite courteous and even breaking journey to pick up or drop passengers wherever they want.

My recent endeavours to photograph them following the much touted ban (in view of the coming CWG) raised concerned questions as to what would happen to their livelihood? How can the animals be maintained? Will Tongas never be seen on the streets of Delhi again? Who can answer such questions? For me, standing there, the Tongas seem well adept in the “to be made modernistic Delhi”. It is an eco-friendly fun way of travelling, fast and very comfortable. Yes, a wee bit emphasis on maintenance and keeping the area clean, it is a definitive tourist draw!!! Amidst the cars and fast paced life can such an animal drawn transport be viable? Why not, when the Government seems looking for eco-friendly non polluting, non-fuel guzzling bulk mode of transport – why remove one which seems to be functioning pretty well. A further boost, use it as a tourist potential. The areas of Rashtrapati Bhawan, Shanti Van or better still CP, can run on Tonga power, the chaos and parking problem can be taken care off!!! Purists and tech savvy individuals will call me a backward romantic, but kya kahen ki dil hai ki manta nahin!!!!!

The good ole Phat phat or phat phati

Phat phati in Delhi – This was a popular mode to travel short distances especially Connaught Place to Karol Bagh or Connaught Place (New Delhi Railway Station) to Chandni Chowk. The huge Harley bike was suitably refitted to make room for about 7 – 8 passengers. A peculiar contraptions but it was truly a joy to ride it. I miss it and have made innumerable enquiries regarding its operational. The owners have been provided with jeep like vehicles called phat phati but nothing to compare the old. It was called the phat phati because of the noise the model would generate. It typically moved in the garangutan fashion splitting, it was banned to make the air in Delhi less polluted. As it was classified a polluting vehicle. How could just two dozen such vehicle pollute the vast city I still do not understand, a relic with definitive tourist potential if suitably made to run on CNG power??!!!!

If someone can tell me if this relic can be sported somewhere, I will gladly write more and of course put up some lovely images.

This definitely should be in the heritage or relic category but I had been so fond of it that in my mind it is still contemporary!!!