In the earlier days, palanquins or "palkee" were popular means of transport for women of all social strata. The decoration of the palkee referred to the status of the owner. The evolution of palanquins is rooted in the tradition of carrying the deities or idols; later during 15th century it was used for the transportation of common people. On the other hand, men generally utilised horses as modes of transportation. With time bullock carts evolved as a popular mode of transport in Indian villages. These animals were widely used for ploughing fields and later, they were also made to pull carts. Most of the Indian villages are nestled by riverside. To travel to another village or to the town the village people had to cross the rivers. For this purpose boats were used. Even today boats are a commonly found in Indian villages and they remain as the only means of communication for the villagers. During the British era the horse carriages evolved and eventually came to be widely used as transports in the Indian villages. These means of transport are prevalent till date. However, the modern form of horse carriages in the Indian villages is referred as "Tonga", and buggies (in Maharashtra). Other than villages, the `tongas` are still used and are popular tourist attractions across India. In some Indian villages, there is another form of auto rickshaws called `fat-fat.` These run on fixed routes and on fixed fares and are very fuel-efficient. They usually carry as many as ten adults. Scooters and mopeds have been introduced in rural India lately for faster means of transport. Rarely jeeps and old models of cars are seen in Indian villages, carrying passengers from one place to another. Indian Village Transport system has developed rapidly during the past years. However the traditional forms of transport like bullock carts and horse carriages are seen quite often and these rides add more hues to the Indian rural charm. |
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Tuesday, October 26, 2010
INDIAN VILLAGE TRANSPORT
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