Nagpur: For decades, a horse was a permanent fixture on a corner of the plot of the current ICICI Bank branch at Shankar Nagar, getting curious looks from passers-by. The horse has gone away for the last 4-5 years. On Wednesday, the man who rode the horse with pride down city streets each morning for over four decades also passed away.The bank came up at the spot some 10 years ago ago.Before that, the sprawlingChandak Bhavan bungalow — the house of Chandak family — stood facing the road. A horse with a shining coat could be seen right at the entrance. Every morning, dressed in white riding gear and black boots, Jugalkishore Chandak rode out of his house. The horses changed from Laxmi to Chandni, Roshni to Badal over the last 42 years. But his routine was a constant.The rest of the day, Chandak could be found at the M Chandak consumer durables store at Sitabuldi, where the friendly businessman interacted with customers.Taking different routes each day, Chandak had become a familiar face for many as Ghodewale Chandak. Each day, Chandak attracted the awe of morning walkers and commuters, controlling the animal with a gentle word as a bike or car zoomed by. During elections, Chandak made it a point to ride his horse to the polling booth and cast his vote. Chandak saddled the horse every morning till some time in mid 2017. A spine injury after he slipped in the bathroom forced him to give up riding. The last horse he had, named Badal, died some days after he gave up riding, says his son Manish Chandak. My father was not keeping well lately and died at home, he added.Those days there used to be a riding school near the CP Club. One day, he along with two friends saw the training. They were so impressed that they joined the riding school. That was before our marriage, says his wife Kantadevi. The riding trips made him so famous that he was often invited home by top officials, including a couple of police commissioners, says his nephew Vinay Chandak. All the children in family were taught riding. We used to follow him in a car or two-wheelers during the ride. I remember people used to wave at him. At times, a curious commuter would even stop and inquire about the breed and other details, said Vinay. After extensive research on equestrian sports, Chandak had purchased a mare from Rajasthan, named Laxmi. After it came Chandni, then came Roshni, and finally Badal, said a family member. Except Badal, all were mares, said the kin.Anant Daksindas, who lives close by, remembers seeing him every morning, but cannot recall when he stopped riding by in the last few years.I remember the night when the mare started violently stomping her hoof. My father rushed out and soon we felt tremors. That was the day a massive earthquake struck Latur. Shocks were felt in the city too, recalls Chandaks daughter Sheetal.

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