Uncertainty looms over Kolkata’s horse-drawn carriages

Early one October morning, amid the vibrant sounds of Durga Puja dhaks (drums) resonating throughout Kolkata, 17-year-old Rahul Das embarks on his daily routine — harnessing his two horses to his carriage and driving from the stables in Kidderpore in the city’s south-west to the centrally located Queens Way — around 6.30 a.m. Upon arriving outside the iconic Victoria Memorial, he parks his vehicle in a long queue of around 20 horse-drawn carriages and then provides his horses with breakfast before starting another day of ferrying tourists through the city’s streets.

Clad in a black shirt and pants, Rahul explains the care he devotes to his horses’ nutrition, detailing their meal consisting of chana (chickpeas), ghash (grass), and bhushi (husk). “I feed them four times a day — in the morning, twice in the afternoon, and at night,” he says. By 9 a.m., the horses are ready to greet passengers and traverse the city till they return home in the evening.

Seventy-seven years after India’s Independence, horse-drawn carriages continue to evoke Kolkata’s colonial heritage, transforming from a luxury reserved for high society into a cherished tourist attraction. However, this symbol of the city’s past now faces scrutiny from animal rights activists, sparking a debate about the delicate balance between preserving a legacy and ensuring animal welfare.

For ₹500, groups of five can enjoy a scenic 20-minute carriage ride starting and ending at the majestic Victoria Memorial gates on Queens Way. This 2-km journey along Kidderpore Road and Maidan passes the historic Fort William, an 18th-century structure now serving as the headquarters of the Army’s Eastern Command. Alternatively, solo riders can opt for horseback rides along Queens Way at two rates: ₹400 for an extended route and ₹200 for a shorter stretch.

Unlike his peers who attend school, Rahul has been driving a horse-drawn carriage since 2019, taking over his elder brother’s labour contract after he left the job. He earns ₹14,000 a month and also receives food and accommodation from his employer, who owns three carriages and six horses. Rahul is resolute about his future: “I’ll continue driving the horse-drawn carriage for as long as it’s needed.”

His long-term plan, however, involves handing over the reins to his brother when he returns, and heading back “home” — a term that evokes memories of his childhood in Assam’s Guwahati, where he shared a modest dwelling with his parents and brother near the railway quarters. “Now, I live with my horses at the Kidderpore stables, where the other horses and drivers spend their nights. My favourite horse, Joker, lives, eats, and works with me,” he says, as he lovingly pets one of the white horses attached to his carriage.

Rahul says he quickly adapted to his role, mastering horse riding and carriage driving in just four months. “The only time I got kicked by my horses was when I was new and they weren’t familiar with me. Joker, for example, is aggressive with everyone else, but with me, he’s gentle.”

Decline in business

However, on that day, Rahul and Joker’s wait for passengers dragged on in vain as the hours ticked by. According to Ashim, an owner of horse carriages, the “market has been dire this year” and the usual flow of passengers has dwindled since the rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. This incident sent shock waves through the city, leading to widespread demonstrations and strikes by medical professionals, ultimately affecting local tourism and the carriage business.

Ashim paints a grim picture of the struggling industry, citing a drastic decline in business. Previously, his carriages would complete around 50 rides daily, but now they’re lucky to get 10. With fixed expenses unchanged, he worries about sustaining his operations, explaining, “We still have to pay drivers and maintain our horses, which costs ₹1,500 to ₹2,000 per day per horse.”

According to information obtained from Kolkata Police’s Traffic Department through a Right to Information application in 2023, there are 29 licensed horse-drawn carriages and 58 registered horses in the city. However, alongside these registered carriages, numerous unlicensed ones continue to operate, supporting the livelihoods of hundreds of people.

Animal welfare concerns

Kolkata’s horse-drawn carriage owners face a dual challenge: dwindling demand and a potential ban due to protests by animal rights activists and organisations like the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. For the past few years, PETA India has been claiming that horses used in carriages near Victoria Memorial are malnourished and mistreated by owners, sparking calls for a ban on the carriages.

In an order dated May 9 this year, a Bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya had directed officials of the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department to carry out an inspection, assess the health of horses used in these carriages, and submit a report.

“If the State government comes forward with a proposal to rehabilitate the horse owners and give them an alternative livelihood, the main relief sought for in the writ petitions for dispensing with horse-drawn carriages, as done in Mumbai, can be considered and examined for its feasibility,” the court order stated, adding that it has been submitted that more than 50 carriages are plying and several of them do not have licences.

Cities like Mumbai and Delhi have already taken steps to phase out horse-drawn carriages. The Bombay High Court, in a judgment dated June 8, 2015, banned the use of horses for pulling carriages, leading to their replacement with vintage-style electronic carriages.

Similarly, in 2010, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi initiated a plan to phase out tongas and rehabilitate licensed owners. According to PETA India, the move resulted in the rescue of over 150 animals and introduction of battery-operated e-rickshaws, replacing tongas and bullock carts.

Tushar Kol, an advocacy associate at PETA India, says the organisation has been working tirelessly to put an end to Kolkata’s horse-drawn carriages, citing concerns about animal welfare.

Kol contends that horses used for pulling carriages suffer greatly, developing irreversible leg ailments from traversing concrete roads and being subjected to unsanitary and unsheltered conditions when not working. According to him, PETA India’s investigations have uncovered mistreatment of horses used for tourist rides, revealing a pattern of severe neglect and cruelty.

He says these animals are forced to endure gruelling working conditions often without adequate rest, food, or water. “Many of them suffer from serious health issues such as broken bones, open wounds, anaemia, and malnutrition.”

Attempts have been made by the West Bengal government’s Animal Resources Development Department to set up health camps for horses in compliance with the High Court’s orders, but activists claim that horse owners are hesitant to participate in such camps, preventing their animals from receiving much-needed medical care.

Kol says owners’ reluctance to attend health camps indicates the poor health of their horses. “These animals pose a serious risk of transmitting zoonotic diseases like glanders, which is nearly always fatal in humans.”

Findings by PETA India and CAPE Foundation, a public charitable trust, suggest that at least eight horses have succumbed to neglect and mistreatment in the city this year. In early October, a wounded mare was spotted limping on a flyover from Hastings to Esplanade, prompting the filing of an FIR at the Hastings police station under relevant sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. According to PETA India, the area under the flyover is used by owners to house horses that pull carriages at Queens Way.

Last year, a group of veterinarians and animal welfare advocates appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ban horse-drawn carriages, but many believe that they are part of the city’s transport heritage and should be allowed to carry on.

Preserving a legacy

Ranabir Roy Choudhury, who has authored multiple books on the history and evolution of Kolkata, advocates for preserving the city’s horse-drawn carriages as a nostalgic reminder of its rich heritage. “Like the demand for preserving the heritage of Kolkata’s trams, a similar movement should take place for horse-drawn carriages. Of course, not to the same extent, but why should they disappear? They can exist in their quaintness to remind people of what once was.”

Choudhury notes that the ornate horse-drawn carriages were introduced by the British in the 17th century. “While there is plenty of evidence of horseback riding and horse-drawn chariots existing in India earlier, this style of wheeled horse-drawn carriages came with the British,” he says.

He recalls vintage advertisements from a local harness and saddle maker, which were published in print as late as 1992. “This firm dated back to the late 1700s and crafted carriages that initially catered exclusively to the city’s affluent elite.”

Choudhury also points out that horse-drawn carriages were initially reserved for British elites until the late 19th century. However, after the 1870s, they transitioned into a public mode of transportation, catering to a broader audience. Notably, each carriage was assigned a registration number, indicating that they were licensed by the Calcutta Corporation, he says.

At a crossroads

“As long as you have the licence, there is nothing to be afraid of,” asserts Shahid, a horse-drawn carriage owner-operator in his late 30s, expressing confidence in the face of the High Court’s crackdown on unlicensed carriages. He opens the carriage door to reveal his licence: a yellow metal sign, about six inches tall, engraved with ‘KP 006’. He says the number signifies his carriage’s registration with the Kolkata traffic police and the West Bengal Transport Corporation.

Shahid’s family legacy in the business spans generations and his fleet consists of six to seven horses and three carriages, including one pulled by two white mares, Rinki and Pinki.

“For us, this work is our bongsho parampara (familial legacy),” one of his drivers says. While owners inherited horses and carriages, drivers were bequeathed labour contracts, he says.

However, Shahid has taken a conscious step to break the cycle, ensuring his children receive a formal education, allowing them the freedom to choose an alternative path if they desire.

He says most of the horses used in Kolkata’s carriage trade are sourced from States like Bihar and Rajasthan, with prices ranging from ₹70,000 to ₹80,000 depending on the breed. He adds that white horses are particularly sought after for their distinctive appeal. “They are a different kind,” he notes, affectionately stroking Rinki’s mane. He also shares that the carriages are imported from Gujarat and constructed from a blend of wood, metal, and plastic.

Historians believe that Kolkata, unlike many colonial cities that have been quick to shed the vestiges of British rule, stands out for taking pride in these heritage modes of transport. Despite their dwindling presence, the iconic trams, hand-pulled rickshaws, and horse-drawn carriages continue to evoke a sense of nostalgia.

For Shahid and Rahul, the horse-drawn carriages represent more than just a nostalgic relic of the past — they are a source of livelihood. As their carriages rattle through the streets for what may be their final laps, they cling to a fading way of life. “I love my horses; they’re everything to me,” says Shahid, his voice tinged with worry.

With uncertainty looming over his profession, threatening to end a centuries-old tradition, Rahul expresses concern: “We don’t know what the future holds if our horses and carriages are taken off the streets.”