Mysuru's Tonga stands cry for attention ahead of Dasara celebrations in city

MYSURU: Cracked walls, leaking roofs and uneven stone slabs on a worm-ridden ground -- is what can be seen at the Mysuru's popular 'Tonga stand' near the N Madhavarao Circle (Agrahara Circle) on Thyagaraja Road in the city.

While the entire city is decked up with LED illumination, the Tonga stands, which serve as a shelter for horses, are crying for attention ahead of the Dasara celebration.

Tongas -- the horse-ridden chariots or carts -- are an integral part of the Mysuru heritage, while the business for the 'Tongawalas' peaks during Dasara every year.

However, the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has severely hit the livelihood of these Tongawalas.

At a time when over 100 odd tongawals are staring at a bleak future with this year seeing very less tourists, they are also experiencing another major problem as the Tonga stands which serve as a shelter for the horses are in a dilapidated state.

The state government which decided to celebrate Dasara in a simple manner owing to the pandemic, it maintained that it would be celebrating the festival in a traditional way. But authorities seem to have washed its hands off for the revival of tonga tourism.

Over 20 horses take shelter daily at the Tonga stand in Agrahara Circle while other horses sleep at three other shelters -- one near Kukkarahalli Lake, one near Suburban bus stand and the third one at Sayyaji Rao road. According to the tongawalas, the stands have not seen paint or any makeover since the last five years.

"While all the streets across the city dazzle with colourful lights, our tonga stands are in the dark. The horses sleep on uneven stones. The sharp edges and broken stones sometimes injure the animals. What is more worrying is the leaking roof which is on the verge of collapse," says Fayaz Ahmed, president of the Mysuru Maharaj Shah Pasand Tonga Association.

He said the government is spending over Rs 3 crore for illuminating all the major streets and circles. He sought to know why the tonga stands are left out.

"We are already looking at bleak future with no takers for our tongas after the pandemic. We are keeping the heritage and tradition of the city alive but the government has not provided us any relief or compensation during the lockdown. Now even the century-old horse stand on Agrahara is left out," pointed out Fayaz.