Travelling back in times isn't easy

Tonga tale

The days of glory are clearly behind them. Now, life is just about waiting for some work to come by from morning till evening and whatever money comes their way, their expenses have to be met within the amount generated.

This is the life of tonga owners who are also drivers, in Hassan. The boom in passenger automobile industry spelt doom for them. The friendly passengers who engaged their services for a particular price, helped the tongawallah’s family survive. 

But today, those numbers are dwindling since more and more people prefer autos to tongas, in order to save time. Those who cannot afford autos, wait for public transport such as buses. Tongas have not remained the mode of transport for the general public. 

Most of them can be seen waiting for a passenger to prefer them over autos or buses, at their regular stand near Hemavathi statue in the city.

However, this does not mean tongas have their days numbered, or don’t have anyone engaging their services. 

In recent times, tongas have just remained to be goods carriers, and some tourists hire their services once in a blue moon. 

The spot near the old bus stand that had seen more than 200 tongas do brisk business over 50 years ago, today witnesses only about 80 of them waiting to ply on city roads, says 60-year-old Basheer Ahmed, who has been engaged in this business ever since he can remember. 

“Earlier, our lives were simple and we could easily run the family with our income of Rs 20 per day. Even if we manage to make Rs 200 these days, we cannot make ends meet,” he adds.

Though there are goods autos too, they are not enough to eat into the booty of tongas.

“Some people don’t transport iron in goods autos since it is a costly proposition. Besides, auto drivers don’t load iron onto their vehicles. But, we do that work without much fuss and this brings relief to traders and buyers too,” he adds.

In his over five decades of bonding with tongas, Nisar has learnt to fix small problems in the carts and his makeshift mechanic shop is at the stand. 

He recalls this place was given to tonga drivers many years ago when friction brewed between tonga and auto drivers when autos began to slowly encroach upon their stand. 

Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) officials intervened into the matter and fixed the place for tongas for parking. Elected representatives had even put a small roof, providing shelter from heat and rains. 

A tank with water connection came by, slowly. After these facilities were created many years ago, no one has bothered to look at the needs of tonga drivers. 

Slowly, the water connection was cut, or the source dried up. 

Now, tongawallahs carry water from Maharaja Park to quench the thirst of horses.  Ask them if they want to speak to authorities and demand for special status for their tongas, the way it is done and preserved well in Mysore? “Who will do this for us? Even our children do not need any future for this. None are interested in preserving this,” says Nisar Ahmed in a tone that pleads helplessness. 

And the future of nearly 80 tongas in Hassan, who live on an income of Rs 200 on a lucky day, remains a huge question.