MYSORE: The nostalgic days of the princely State and the British era where the elite used a buggy to commute between places is sought to be recreated in Mysore to add charm to those thronging this "City of Palaces". The Buggy Culture, once iconic of the "Raj culture", will make a comeback in the city, though symbolically.

The Buggy (a small lightweight carriage drawn by horse) Trail project being revived by the Mysore Heritage Centre to popularise the vintage classic horse carriages in Mysore promises to breath fresh life to one of the oldest and declining traditions of Mysore Shah Pasand tongas and horse carriages. A wide range of these horse buggies coming from around the world would be showcased during this Dasara festivities, and public could use road show by buggies as well as use it.

This unique project has been approved by the Department of Tourism as one of the tourism projects that would be initiated under the Mysore Heritage Centre Tourism Institute. The Buggy Trail project will help in piecing together chunks from colonial history with the best of Mysore hospitality. According to Mysore Heritage Centre Trustee Madhukar G. Appaji, the centre plans to introduce 10 horse buggies initially, and these carriages will ferry the tourists and local enthusiasts.

He said: "The present focus is on community involvement and participation in the revival of vanishing horse heritage of Mysore, and the centre will strive to revive the horse tradition in association with INTECH IBM Centre for Social Enterprise."

Leafing through the pages of history opens up the history of these buggies patronised by roads created by the erstwhile rulers.

Many roads connecting major district headquarters formed the basis for the evolution of horse carriage during the regime of Tipu Sultan and these are known as Sultan Roads even today.

With the arrival of English forces after the fall of Tipu Sultan, Mysore region saw more use of these carriages.

English stagecoaches travelled hundreds of miles through arid land, forests, and on bullock cart tracks to deliver supplies, mails, cash and gold.

Buggies and carriages strode the streets of Srirangapatna, Mysore and Bangalore.

He said: "The horses are in excellent condition and the drivers are experts at handling their carriages. Sitting in a buggy behind a horse trotting along the lanes of Mysore will be a romantic novelty, which should be experienced at least once."

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