Adil Najam
All this talk of the London Taxi coming to Pakistan has sent me into a bout of nostalgia about the Tanga (anglicized by some to become a ‘Tonga’). Its still there, but fast on the way to extinction; especially after the arrival of the Qingqi (a ‘Qingqi’ is the poor man’s London Taxi; or what Tangas become with globalization; more on teh ‘Qingqi’ later).
I remember going to school on a tanga that worked kind of like a communal school bus; I wish my children can still ride on one before it disappears totally.
Took my son for a Victoria ride from the Marriott down to the Clifton beach in 2001. It is an experience! Try it some time.
Tanga or Victoria – I still wish we had more of them in Karachi. Now I only see some next to Avari Towers. It would be a joy to ride them on Clifton beach. And why are they not used more oftem at weddings etc. Where have the good old days of a decorated tanga and the military band gone when I am getting close to marriage time :).
…ni tangay walla khair mang dha…
[and so it goes…]
…Tanga Lahore dha howay thay paaawaaaiN…Jhang dhaa….
Told you it would echo and re-echo…
Not every equine-powered carriage is a Tonga, Altamash…and Adil. One of the last vehicles my grandfather owned was what is called (in the Lucknow area, at least) a “khaRkhaRa”; which looked more like a horse cart (as in a donkey cart, a ghadha gaaRee, but with a horse in front.
And Bilal, you sure you’re not talking about a “Victoria” (a horse carriage like you see in Central Park, New York) and not a Tanga? You don’t look too much older than I am, and I only remember Victorias in that area…except, maybe for the route from the Bus Depot and past the EME Workshop and past…what was it? Civil Lines?
Adil is right about the cultural significance of Tangas…for a lot of Pakistanis, the subject line is one of those that, once it gets inside ones head will echo and re-echo for the next few days…