Pakistan Today

Tangas going off the road

Lahore – Tanga or tonga in English, a horse-drawn wooden carriage used for transportation, is fading with the passage of time as rickshaw has left it far behind in this fast-paced era. Tanga, besides being a fine mode of transportation, is a cultural symbol as well. People usually enjoy riding it because it does not cause much noise pollution and is cheaper to hire than a rickshaw. Despite all these plus points, it is falling victim to the cultural decline because, perhaps, we have decided to replace tensions with the moments of relief.
Tanga, no doubt, a beautiful and peaceful carriage, has a lot of characteristics that make it a royal conveyance. A set of ornaments to control the movements of the horse really looks beautiful and makes the carriage a unique one. The instructions given by the coachman or kochwaan also seem a unique piece of communication between a man and an animal as a single pull of reins makes the animal understand the command. The music produced from the movement of the horseshoe nailed to the hooves of the horse also sounds nice.
The popularity of this means of transportation can be assessed from the fact that it has been used in literature as well. Songs like Tangay wala khair mangda and Mard tangay wala accurately reflect the Tanga culture of our society. If we analyse the fall of Tanga, we may realise that the main reason of its decline is actually its main characteristic. Its slow pace, once loved by its riders, is not in demand anymore as everyone seems to be in a hurry. People have adjusted to the fast-paced life of this modern day. They don’t have time for a slow ride, looking at the signboards while riding this majestic horse-driven carriage. They don’t even pay any attention to the clip clop sound produced by the horse’s hooves on the asphalt.
The bottom line is that the ultra fast moving society is neglecting the cultural attractions with full confidence but a question will always keep on haunting us: is it the Tanga which is going off the road or are WE?

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