[dighton]

What is an autorickshaw?

This pretty well sums it up. I don't know about "days gone by," however: somewhere in India, even today, I suspect you'll find the bicycle and people-pulled variety.

Strenuous work + undernourishment generally = early funeral pyre.

[aculeus]

Does one go down to a godown?

[general_re]

According to police, the diesel tank of the lorry burst in a collision igniting the match boxes. The fire spread instantly, forcing the lorry driver to jump out.

Later, the lorry ran helter-skelter setting ablaze three autorickshaws, two roadside hotels and a tea shop before demolishing a fertliser godown and then came to a halt.

"Later"? How much "later"? What was it doing in the meantime?