New modes of transportation may have taken over Kashmir roads, but tonga continues to hold its space in north Kashmir’s Sopore.
The horse-driven two wheeled vehicle is seen in every nook and corner of the Apple town ferrying both goods and passengers. It has been a source of livelihood to scores of families.
M Afzal Chopan, 60, a tonga driver by profession for 30 years, every morning starts his day by feeding his horse before be readies for the day’s drive.
Chopan finds tonga more convenient for navigating narrow passages, irregular and bumpy roads. “I drop the passengers at their doorsteps where a sumo cannot,” he says.
“We charge less fare that makes tonga affordable to the passengers. Some families hire our tongas for pick and drop of their school kids because of the affordability,” he added.
Calling his light horse drawn carriage an environment friendly vehicle, Chopan says, “Tongas don’t produce any smoke or the sound of pressure horns, which are hazardous to the man and the environment. We see many accidents occur due to pressure horns blown by the impatient drivers,” he adds.
According to Chopan female passengers prefer tonga because they feel safe to travel by it. “But unfortunately we are being looked down upon by the society. The police and municipality shoo us away as they hold us responsible for traffic mess”, he sobs. “The actual traffic mess,” he says, “is created by the illegal parking of vehicles on the roads.”
Chopan says that he gets passengers from different places in the town, for tongas have no particular stand. He appeals to the government to provide their fraternity a place, where they can run their service from without anybody’s interference.
Terming tonga-jaunt a Mughal-ride, Chopan said, “We receive a good number of tourists in summers who love tonga-ride. The students from outside J&K studying in different colleges in Sopore also travel by tongas. They appreciate our work,” he says.
Mehraj u din, a pharmacist at SDH hospital said he prefers tonga ride to reach the hospital during summers as the early “morning breeze soothes soul and mind and I remain fresh during whole day.”
Bilal Ahmad Ganaie, 20, who has decorated his tonga and embedded a music player in it, says, “I have chosen tonga as many are giving up this profession. I love to ride it while I am also earning from it”.
A group of girls clicking selfies on a tonga said: “We feel mesmerised by this ride and we wanted to spend more time together”.
Poet Shahnaz Rashid said, “Since the time I opened my eyes I have been seeing tongas at my hometown Sopore. People used to travel far off distances by this vehicle as this was the main source of communication but now with modernisation, this part of culture is fading.”
He said that often he keeps his car aside and boards a tonga to travel around different places. “It gives me immense joy”.