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Covid trots out hard times for Lucknow’s horsemen
About 50 horsemen are struggling to make a living even after switching to horse riding business in Lucknow’s old city after their previous business of running horse carts completely collapsed.
On Saturday morning, Juggan Khan, a man in his early sixties, stands with his horse Abdullah in one corner of Rumi Darwaza, offering a horse ride to visitors.
“Sir, the ride will cost you just ₹50. Believe me sir, in this fascinating city of nawabs, nothing is more exciting than experiencing a horse ride, amidst beautiful skyline dotted with so many nawabi-era heritage structures,” Khan says, trying to convince a family to take a horse ride through the Old City, but even his best pitch fails to convince the family, which prefers to proceed on foot, leaving Khan and his dear friend Abdullah dejected.
Juggan, a traditional horseman is one of about 50 horsemen, struggling to make a living even after switching to horse riding business in Lucknow’s Old City after their previous business of running horse carts completely collapsed, making it impossible to buy even horse feed.
“Sahab khud bhooke so lenge par bezubaan janwar to kaise bhooka maar de. Iska pet to palna hi hain, chahe lockdown ho ya fir Covid (We can stay hungry, but how can I leave a speechless animal empty stomach? I have to manage his meals somehow, be it in the lockdown or Covid scare),” Juggan says.
Khan said the situation was still manageable until March 2020- the time when the first Covid wave hit the country, resulting in imposition of a nationwide lockdown. “Until March 2020, we were able to earn at least ₹200 to ₹350 a day, but the lockdown and other government-imposed restrictions squeezed the income, leaving us hand to mouth.”
Mohammed Azeez, who owns a horse named Kajal, says the loss of business due to the pandemic has affected them the most. “Unlike other trade, once the shop is closed, the expense also reduces. But in our case, we have to feed our horses, even if there is no business. On an average, a horse needs fodder worth ₹250 to 300 a day. Hence to meet up the expenses we thought of starting horse rides in the Old City,” said Azeez.
Horsemen like Azeez and Juggan recall the good old days when horse-driven carts like Bagghi, Ikka or tonga used to be the only means of transport in the city of nawabs. Now, Bagghis are only restricted to museums, while a handful of ikka, tonga and other horse driven carts left are mostly used for marriages and religious processions, which have been banned due to the pandemic.
The city has around 50 ikka, tonga owners at present, and they are asking the state government to help them tide over the crisis.
