Once a common means of transport in the city’s by-lanes, the ikka or the horse cart, is almost history now. Most ikkas were found close to the Turkman Gate and in parts of Mehrauli till a government ban during the Commonwealth Games almost saw them disappear. Those that remain can be seen behind LNJP Hospital near Delhi Gate or opposite Delite Cinema.
Ikka walah Mitai, has driven the cart for nearly five decades, just as his forefathers did for centuries. “We used to feed our large families by plying the ikkas. We could carry people and even transport goods that could not be filled inside a closed vehicle,” he recalls.
“During the Commonwealth Games, the MCD broke the centuries old haud or the marble water tank from which all the animals used to drink water. The water tanks would quench the thirst of not only horses, but also of elephants and camels that happened to pass by or rested nearby. Now we have to fill buckets of water for the animals. Even stray animals relied on the haud for water.”
The ikkas stationed behind LNJP Hospital are now used to carry filth from the sewers and construction sites, especially in the narrow streets where vehicles cannot go. Some can be seen at Sadar Bazar, Chandni Chowk, etc., where wholesale shopkeepers often use ikkas to carry loads over a short distance.
Recalls Mitai: “After the government banned the ikkas, 10 to 12 ikka walahs died of starvation in front of our eyes. Their families have nothing to eat till date. We are somehow managing by carrying the construction site waste or loads from old Delhi markets. They bargain a lot, so we are forced to agree to whatever money they give us. Though we can remain hungry, our horses can’t. We often have to borrow money to feed our animals.”
A horse needs at least Rs.250-worth of chana (gram), grass and jau (barley) every day. Today, the ikka walahs go as far as Narela in Outer Delhi and even Noida and Meerut in Uttar Pradesh with goods. But, how do they manage to travel so long? “We travel for two hours, followed by rest for an hour on longer routes,” says Shadab, another ikka walah.
Ikka stations at Tilak Nagar, Ajmeri Gate, Nangloi and Delhi Gate have all been destroyed, but Mitai and others of his ilk still have hope.
“If the government gives us some stands, we would be able to earn some money, turn our ikkas into ‘buggy’ which requires an investment of Rs. 1.5 lakh. Then we would be able to use them in marriages and feed our family.”
