MULTAN: Tonga riding, once considered to be ‘shahi sawari’ (Royal ride), has now become relic of the past in the ancient city of Multan.

Gone are the days when people used to ride tongas to travel from one corner to another in the city of saints availing themselves of the facility of cheaper ride. However, with fast mode of transportation, number of tongas has reduced from hundreds to a few in the city.

“We used tonga for going from Nishtar to Bohar Gate, Cantonment Railways Station to Haram Gate, Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower), Hafiz Jamal Road, Delhi Gate, and from Bohar Gate to Cantonment, reminisced 75-year-old Sakina Bibi. Now, tongas are few and far between in the city,” she added.

Muhammad Ashiq, who ran tonga within the city for more than 20 years said: “Tonga was the sole source of income for my family. I nurtured four of my kids and got one of them educated up to BA from the livelihood I earned from the tonga, but owing to flyovers and rashly-driven cars and motorcycles, it has become almost difficult to run it.”

Long before the British came, tongas, a horse drawn wooden carriage, were subcontinent’s most favourite mode of transportation.

People from all classes and backgrounds owned and used horse-plied carts to travel and the decorations on the cart showed off the owner’s wealth for him.

The tongas even had a separate bazaar for the accessories in Chowk Shaheedan in the walled city.

Some of the affluent and purda (veil) observing families had their own tongas having curtains on both sides that were used by ladies to hide their identities in the past. They had had special ‘Kochwaans’ (drivers) to run it.

Tonga was also used for picking and dropping children and teachers to schools and colleges against reasonable charges some 15 years back.

Rickshaws, motorcycles, vans and buses running within the city have sent the tonga off the road.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2014