Cooch Behar, November 29 (Siliguri Chronicle) – On a winter evening in Cooch Behar, dust rose softly from a village road as a decorated bullock cart made its slow approach. Civil engineer Sayan Barman, dressed in a dhoti and Punjabi, arrived like a groom from another time, prompting surprised smiles and a wave of cellphone cameras as he entered Baladanga village.
For a moment, it was as if an old Cooch Behar photograph had come to life.
Sayan, a resident of Khadija Baladanga, married Barsha Barman of Baladanga village on “9th Agrahayan, 1432” in the Bengali calendar, which fell on Wednesday. The two homes are barely 2km apart.
“If the distance were longer, it would have been difficult to use a bullock cart. Given the short distance between our houses, I did not want to miss this opportunity,” said Sayan.
After the ceremony, the newlyweds rode back home in the same cart. The two villages lie about 18km from Cooch Behar town.
“Bullock carts are part of our oldest traditions,” Sayan said. “When I told my family I wanted to use one for my wedding, they agreed immediately. I also want to spread the message that at a time when the world is moving towards ‘smoke-free travel’, such initiatives highlight the need to reduce pollution from petrol.”
His father, Sudarshan Barman, a retired government employee, said the gesture was a way to honour and take pride in local heritage.
“In Cooch Behar, people once depended on bullock carts. Choosing one for my son’s wedding shows that modernity doesn’t mean forgetting our roots,” he said.
Sayan’s mother, Rita Barman, said her son had “set an example” by choosing a traditional, non-polluting mode of travel.
A local environmentalist also praised the gesture for its symbolism.
“When the world is talking about a pollution-free environment and shifting to electric mobility, such a message from the younger generation is significant.”
Barsha, the bride, said she hadn’t expected her husband’s choice to draw so much attention.
“Now it feels like a beautiful decision. Our wedding day became truly memorable,” she said.
At Friday’s preeti bhoj (reception), guests and villagers were still talking about Sayan’s unusual choice of transport.
