Tonga Ride To Old Delhi

November 1, 1996.

It was early morning when the Janta Express rolled into Kanpur. 

There was a nip in the air, and passengers began pulling out shawls and blankets from their luggage as the cold crept in. 

Just as we were settling down for a cosy sleep inside the train, a crackling announcement blared through the barely audible speakers of Indian Railways.

“Janta Express will not go further. Passengers travelling to Delhi are requested to deboard and take a connecting train.”

It was a frustrating moment. Most of us had struggled to get tickets during the Puja rush from Calcutta. True to its name, the Janta Express served the janta. 

It halted at virtually every station in Bihar—Jharkhand didn’t exist then—and was running hopelessly behind schedule. When it finally reached Kanpur, the railway authorities decided to cancel its onward journey to Delhi.

Chaos followed the announcement.

“Gomti Express from Lucknow will arrive at 7. All Delhi-bound passengers are requested to board the train,” announced a harried ticket examiner on the platform.

As the train pulled into Kanpur Junction, there was a maddening rush to get inside—everything for a seat. Luck was on my side; I managed to grab a window seat.

The train finally reached Delhi at 3 pm.

Old Delhi station was as crowded then as it is today. Tongas, three-wheelers, and cycle-rickshaws jostled for space outside the station.

“Room chahiye? Accha room milega,” touts from budget hotels called out, chasing after me.

“Nahin chahiye,” I replied, walking away.

Avoiding the crowd near the exit, I climbed onto the rear seat of a tonga.
“Idgah jana hai,” I told the tonga owner.

The horse looked fit and healthy. It broke into a gallop, pulling away from the station smoothly. 

The ride was wonderful. We cut through the dense station area and then into the bustling lanes of Sadar Bazar. From the tonga, the view of the sprawling market—one of Asia’s largest wholesale hubs—was simply outstanding.

The tonga finally reached Idgah Road.

That would be my address in Delhi for the next three years.