Delhiwale: Two interstate commuters

Glimpsing into the working life of a pair

On this particularly cold sunless morning, Sangeeta and Shanu are hitting the road. They left from south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj two hours ago, and, now that they’ve crossed the interstate border from Delhi to Gurugram, in Haryana, half of their journey to work is done.

And what’s unusual about that? After all, thousands of people living in the National Capital Region are in the same situation — having their residence in one state and their work place in another, and doing the commute.

And yet, the sight of Sangeeta and Shanu seems extraordinary in this procession of cars and bikes. For Sangeeta, 9, is a white mare, while Shanu, 35, is a human. She is without the mask. He is wearing a black mask, and holding a mobile. Shanu is sitting atop Sangeeta.

“We have an assignment in Sector 15, “ explains Shanu. Both work for a Delhi-based firm that supplies mares to celebratory events, mostly weddings in which the groom goes to bride’s place mounted on a mare.

“Today it’s not for baraat (wedding procession)... but for ghurcharai,” says Shanu, explaining that this is a wedding-related ritual requiring the groom to go to the temple on a mare.

If Sangeeta is tired, she isn’t being showy about it. Her face is calm. The pair is standing by the side of the highway for this brief interview, with a gigantic multi-floor grey building looming in the backdrop. Neither of them is looking impressed by the high-rise. As spotlessly white as fresh snow, Sangeeta is attired suitably for the job, with thick bands of pink and orange around her neck. A red cloth fringed with gold is spread under her saddle.

It has to be said they started their day on a well-fed stomach. Shanu had a breakfast of parathas and Sangeeta had channa. “I have a stock of channa and gur (jaggery) with me, and I keep feeding her whenever she feels hungry.” He secretly hopes that they both will be offered lunch during the function.

Working as “ghori walla” for 25 years, Shanu started as a very young boy, inheriting the profession from his father, who inherited it from his father. Sangeeta has been working for six years, and Shanu has no idea of her family background.

Whatever, “the kaam (assignment) should last for an hour and then we’ll go back.”

First, Shanu will drop Sangeeta at her farm in Vasant Kunj, where she lives with about 30 mares, after which he’ll head home to Sundernagri in Jumna-paar, in the bus.

They now trot off, becoming once again part of the commuting traffic.