My uncle had two big bullocks, bought them from Belgaum, Karnataka. They were called Ram-aha and Bheem-aha. These animals were kept next to the house for extra care. Once I was standing at the main door, then they have returned from the field. One of them hit me with its horns. I fell down, and my hand got fractured. It took several months to heal. Initially, my mother took me to Shalibanda for a bandage. It did not cure completely. Based on the advice of my mother’s friend, she used Saraswathi plant Leaves. There were two Saraswathi plants in our house on either side of the gate. The very dark green coloured leaves heated on a pan with a pinch of oil were tied at the place of fracture with a piece of cloth. This was done every night and over a period my hand fracture disappeared.

This was a better option with less pain, as compared to the treatment that I had at rather Shalibanda, where they rub an oil without any mercy and tie a cloth. This was a famous Muslim family treating fractured bones traditionally, the place was called Shalibanda Katla Dawakhana, it was near the historic Charminar Monument in Hyderabad.

Mulkatte is a stick with a steel needle at one end. It was used to ward off stray animals eating the crops or to make the bullocks tied to a cart or plough move forward fast by gently piercing their hips. It is heartening to see the oozing blood as points and dried on either side of the bullocks hips. Some people use Charnakola (or a whip) to control the animals. The whip was made with a combination of leather and jute material and looked beautiful. Some things which cause harm look beautiful and attractive.

Bullock cart was very interesting for me. I travelled many times in the villages, that I have visited. Once, after my brother-in-law’s marriage, we all travelled on a chain of bullock carts to his wife’s place. It was so beautiful and always cherished this journey. It was a dirt road and the day before it rained. I could still feel the smell of the soil that I experienced on the way.

Once my sister was playing on the road, and there was a bullock cart which came running very fast, and it went over her, but nothing happened to her as a miracle. Animals are also sensitive and avoid to harm someone unnecessarily. It it was a tractor, probably who would have been crushed. In the villages, we find many people who have broken their bones, while travelling on the rough roads and their bullock carts overturned. Especially while crossing Vodkalu or small streams the chances for such accidents were more.

My dream was to have a bullock cart procession with family members at the time of my marriage. I did not happen as I got married in the city. Still, as a memory for my marriage invitation card, I have chosen the card with a bullock cart picture.

A bullock cart driven by two bulls