Saga of low-cost transporter who bra(y)ved all odds

Donkeys as carriers for unpretentious village entrepreneur

At 80, Kattheswamy (donkey saint) is a content man. All his life, he has literally taken the path less trodden. With a fleet of seven donkeys and six horses at his disposal, Kattheswamy - whose original name is Puttaiah Eraiah Hiremath - runs an informal transport company.

His income has helped him get a house constructed at Ulavi of Joida taluk in Uttara Kannada district.  Kattheswamy has even gifted a tempo to one of his sons-in-law and a jeep to another.

For decades, the donkeys have helped him earn a decent livelihood. His earnings are by way of transporting coconuts and green plantains from villages like Shivapura, Chilimi, Gaddemane, Kodtalli, Babukambri, Beerkolu and Bugarigadde on donkeybacks to Ulavi and from there to towns like Joida and Dandeli in jeeps, where the products are sold. If others use the informal service to transport coconuts, they have to pay Rs 2 per coconut. Hiremath earns a total of Rs 100 per donkey per day. 

Kattheswamy hails from Akkur in Haveri district and his father shifted 37 years ago to Ulavi to work as a priest. Hiremath continued his father’s profession, but the earnings were just not enough to make ends meet. 

Villages in the vicinity of Ulavi had no motorable roads, thanks to the hilly, forest terrain, and access to them was more difficult in the rainy season. That was when he struck upon his unique trade idea. Finding it difficult to carry the items himself, he enlisted the services of the beasts of burden. Kattheswamy bought a donkey for Rs 100 from Haliyal and named her Kamali, marking the beginning of a saga that has helped him lead a life of dignity. Kamali’s offsprings and their young ones - Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Kamali, Gangi, Bheema, Lakshmana and Rama - are now carrying on the ‘profession’. Hiremath’s horses have been named Saraswathi, Madevi, Gange, Rama and the young ones are called Amasi and Sami. While the donkeys carrying the ‘consignments’ walk in the front, Kattheswamy rides the shorter horse Rama behind the donkeys. 

“The donkey is a loyal animal and has no mood swings like humans. In many instances, the donkeys have protected me from wild animals like bear, jackal and bison by braying and kicking them.” Hiremath gives an affectionate bath to his fleet of domestic animals once a week, while wheat and grass are the daily fodder for them. 

Kattheswamy’s transport ‘company’ is a low cost one. No wonder, he refused to sell one of the horses, for which a prospective buyer offered Rs 10,000. Hiremath has a point to brag about too. People in Ulavi love him limitlessly. 

“If I contest the election, the opponents will draw a blank and I will win hands down. But, I am a toiling man and elections are the last thing on my mind.”