At a time when tourists are not coming to the "Queen of Hills", these horse owners are facing rough weather. Take the case of Daya Ram, who used to earn Rs 200-300 a day. "Saab, khane pine ke lale par gaye hain (we are having difficulty in making both ends meet)," said Ram, who claimed to have recently taken a loan of Rs 4000-5000 to run the household.
The condition of Khajan Singh is no different. Singh also laments that he is facing difficulty in buying essential food items for his family. "Even we cannot buy basic vegetables like tomatoes and onions whose prices are soaring high these days," said singh.
When the difficulty comes, it knocks from all sides. The local municipality wants to shift all horses from Hawa Ghar on Mall Road as part of beautification drive. "We want a permanent home (stable) for our horses who are sleeping in open in this Hawa Ghar," said Singh.
Lal Singh "Buttewala" keeps grilling corn on the cob at Mall Road. But there are very few buyers even during rains. He, too, narrates the same "sad story" of having a difficult time. "I am not even earning Rs 50-100 these days," said Singh, who could easily earn Rs 200-300 earlier. "May-June was the peak season, when Singh raked in mullah. But after June 16-17 floods, he is crying from his heart now.
Even liquor vendors are not happy with the state of affairs in Mussoorie. "Our sales have fallen drastically since June," said Mahipal Singh Chauhan, who runs a wine shop here.
According to local restaurant and hotel association, tourism has fallen 80 to 90 per cent since June, giving a severe blow to the otherwise the thriving business industry. However, the state tourism department has launched a nation-wide campaign to attract tourists. Even Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna has issued appeals asking people to visit places like Mussoorie and Nainital, which have remained untouched from the natural calamities.
The hotel and restaurant owners are facing the heat of the vanishing tourists. "Our business has suffered badly and come down to 50-60 per cent," said Dharam Rohila of Mid Way Restaurant. When it is tough time, some of the restaurant and hotels have retrenched staff also. Even shopkeepers have no business left. "There was time when tourists used to flock my shop. Now there is hardly any tourist," said Yeshi Dhonden, who sells readymade garments at his Whispering Window shop.
Now, all these small shopkeepers and hoteliers are praying for the good old days to return. "In the next few months, we hope that the tourism may pick up," said R N Mathur, a hotlier.