Those who are my age or elder to me or even slightly younger to me must have fond memories of travelling in a tonga. It was sheer pleasure with commentary by tongewala. His hand operated horn poon poon and his verbal instructions to pedestrians always thrilled. 'hatbin razebaeyee, hay topila etc etc.
There were two ways to travel in a tonga, either u shared tonga with fellow passangers or u 'chartered' it.chartering would be called 'full tonga'
I had a dream in childhood to travel around Dal lake in a 'full tonga' along with my wife. By the time I married tongas had vanished from Srinagar. My dream got shattered but I did not lose heart and updated my dream. Wanted to travel around Dal lake with my wife in a self owned car. By the time I owned car Dal lake had vanished.
So this time also my dream did not come true, undaunted I have updated my dream. Want to construct a small house over a plot of land within Dal lake when whole Lake becomes dry. But hope this dream also does not come true.