UPDATE, SUNDAY, DEC 24, 2006
Mangalore: City's Lone Horse Chetan Succumbs to Injuries
by our special correspondent from Kadri Hill
Mangalore, Dec 24: It is indeed a sad day for the citizens. Chetan, city's pride and prized horse, died around 5-30 am on Sunday, December 24, even as care-takers at the animal care centre of Prem Chhaya made best efforts to save it.
File photo of Chetan by John B Monteiro
When contacted by Daijiworld, former mayor K Diwakar said the carcass was being brought to Kadri Hill for burial in the precincts of the Jogi Math.
Clifford D'Souza, promoter of Prem Chhaya, while speaking to Daijiworld, said the horse's rear leg had been infected and maggots had formed. This infection sets in during monsoons and he feels that the horse may have suffered for over six months, since no one knew about it. Not being able to maintain the bodily balance, it may have fallen over and over, finally landing on the barbed wire fencing nearby, says D'Souza. The cause of death may not be any accident, he opines.
A couple of devotees who had gathered near the Jogi Math were heard expressing fears in whispering tones that the death of the horse when the Kadri festival was around the corner did not augur well and was a bad omen.
Whatever may be case, Chetan will be sorely missed not only during the Kadri festival in January but by a large number of people who walked or ran past it while taking walks and jogs near the Kadri park.
Earlier report:
City's Lone Horse Injured
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by Richie Lasrado, Resident Editor, Daijiworld.com, Mangalore
Pics Sphoorti Ullal and Dayanand Kukkaje
Mangalore, Dec 23: Much before the autorickshaws were introduced here, the most popular mode of transport within the city, especially to go to places where city buses, then running in limited numbers, were not plying, was the tonga or better known as 'jatka'.
The horse-drawn carriages had some designated stands in Hampankatta's old bus stand, Kankanady old circle (close to where the old post office was situated), Lower Bendore third cross and many other places, so recall the old-timers.
Nowadays, there are hardly any horses found anywhere around. During special occasions, horses meant for joy-rides are brought from other states to the city's beaches. There are a few horses in suburban towns like Ganjimutt (owned by Raj Academy) and Pakshikere (where George D'Souza, an animal-lover, has been maintaining farm with a variety of animals.)
Arun Mendes, entrepreneur from Taccode, Moodbidri, owned a horse and looked after it for three years between 2001 and 2004. Speaking to Daijiworld, he said looking after a horse is an expensive affair as also to prevent its catching any disease or ailment.
In this backdrop, Chetan, believed to be the only horse existing in the city, had a place of pride. Only on the eighth day of the Kadri festival, it has to make its mandatory presence in the rituals. All through the rest of the year, it happily fends for itself by royally marching through the Kadri park road past the Jogi Math and making the same vicinity its abode.
It provides a familiar sight to the fitness freaks walking or jogging past the Kadri park in the mornings. Its gait instills sort of awe and, to some extent a mild care too, in the minds of fresh entrants to the fitness brigade passing by. (No one would like to get a kick out of it, literally!)
But Chetan was involved in a hit-and-run accident on the morning of Saturday, December 23. It was badly injured when hit by an unidentified, speeding vehicle.
The news spread as it lay in a desolate state. Bhakti, film-maker Natesh Ullal and his wife Vidya Dinker and other NGO associates were the first to rush to the spot for action and many other public-spirited citizens joined in the immediate relief operation.
Former mayor Diwakar, who feeds it regularly with 'chapatis', later joined and gave a soothing touch with his hands, as it instantly recognized him.
It was lifted with the help of a crane and taken away for treatment to the "Prem Chhaya" animal care house in Bajpe for further attention. The nature of injury - possibly major fracture on its limbs - is not immediately known.
But, in all probability, it will not be the same Chetan. It could take months for it to be back on its feet. Even then, one can never say if the limping gait would not remain. Its royal gait and tempo may never be found again.
The saddest part of it is that the Kadri festival is only less than a month away, when, otherwise, Chetan would have its place of honour and reverence during the January 2007 rituals.
Quite distressing news for all its admirers and devotees of the Kadri temple.
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