Tanga (cart)
type of two wheeler from India
A tanga or tonga is a two-wheeled cart drawn by a single horse. It is used for transportation in the Indian subcontinent. There is a canopy over the body, one seat faces forward for the driver and one passenger, and one seat faces the rear for a second passenger. Some space is available for baggage below the carriage, between the wheels. This space is often used to carry hay for the horses.
Tangas were commonly used in Colonial India by British officers and civil servants. They were used in long distance mail routes and travel, where they changed horses every few miles in the manner of stage stations (posting), averaging 8 miles per stage in rough terrain. Under such conditions, Tangas would be drawn by a pair of horses with a pole, but in contemporary times are pulled by a single horse.
Tangas were popular before the advent of automobiles and are still in use in some parts of the Indian subcontinent. They are a popular mode of transportation because they are fun to ride in, and are usually cheaper to hire than a taxi or rickshaw.
“Tanga (cart)” enters the record as type of two wheeler from India. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Tanga, cart and type can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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