Lifestyle in Mumbai
October 7, 2011
The silver-coloured Victorias, modelled on open carriages used during Queen Victoria's reign in the 19th century, first appeared in Mumbai in British colonial times.
There is a fear that their days could be numbered because of allegations of widespread ill-treatment of the animals. A court case involving calls for them to be banned and a campaign have attracted the support of celebrities.
Animal rights groups
Representatives of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) pressure group this week complained to the city authorities, calling on lawmakers to "put a stop to cruel horse-drawn carriage rides in Mumbai".
In an open letter the campaigners alleged that, "Typically, the horses are not given protection from the sun or rain, housed in filthy stables, given substandard food (if any), and rarely provided with water." They added that "Many suffer from untreated injuries, dehydration and weakness, but most will never see a veterinarian."
The Animals and Birds Charitable Trust (ABCT) has brought a case in the Mumbai High Court claiming that animal welfare laws were being deliberately flouted and calling for the owners of illegal stables to be prosecuted.
Lawyer Vikram Trivedi, who is representing the ABCT, agreed that the increasingly traffic-clogged streets of India's financial and entertainment capital are no longer compatible with horse-drawn carriages. "Those days are gone," he told AFP.
Last week, one local newspaper showed pictures of a horse that had collapsed and was unable to get up for 20 minutes. Other accidents involving the carriages are well-documented.
Victorias in Bollywood films
Several Bollywood films have featured the horse-drawn carriages, notably the 1972 crime thriller "Victoria No. 203" and the 1975 action movie classic "Sholay."
High-profile Bollywood stars John Abraham, Jacqueline Fernandez and Hema Malini, who played a Victoria driver in "Sholay", have all joined the PETA campaign. Actress Malini told the city authorities in a letter in 2009 that the continued use of Victorias was a "cruel and outdated" practice that "shames our beautiful city, and it shames us all."
According to the city authorities, there are only 130 Victorias left. The last new licences were awarded in 1973.
Mumbai's Victoria drivers, though, claim that the horses are well cared for. Ashok Chennappa, who has been driving Victorias for the last decade said that "They get enough carrots, food and sugarcane. I don't see any problem." The 28-year-old from Bangalore added, "We're not going to keep quiet" vowing that carriage owners and drivers would fight any ban.
Agency: AFP (mj)
Editor: Grahame Lucas