Nowadays, the rate of images being photo-shopped has gone so viral that it’s hard to tell apart the original from the edited, so much so that we have forgotten the concept of originality all together.
Like the picture below,
Or this one – so much patriotism
People have become so shameless that they actually transfigure the emotions of pics into mannequins – perfect yet lifeless. This is what has become of Photoshop. That’s why when we came across this blast from the past we dismissed it by taking it as another unabashed attempt to Photoshop.
But lo and behold – Internet is actually unpredictable. The surprises are never-ending. In reality, this photo from Kolkata 1930, is true. And yes, history (very mockingly) states that there were Zebra drawn carts in the city.
Manmanathan Mallick riding his cart, chaperoned by two more motor vehicles
The true bong story…
The Mullicks were one of the richest families in the city back in time. Living in one of the highborn localities, they were quite lavish and extravagant. Like Manmathanath Mullick, who although was a philanthropist, rode a Zebra cart. He supposedly owned a stable full of horses and two Zebras, brought from Alipore Zoological Gardens. These Black and white stripped animals were bought to pull his cart in the streets of Kolkata. Unlike his relative Raj Mullick, who constructed the Marble Palace at age 16, Manmathanath was shrewd in demonstrating his richness.