Rajnagar: A unique marriage was solemnised here Friday. The bridegroom and his team went to the bride’s house walking around a km to tie the nuptial knot amid the blowing of conch, beating of traditional drums and distribution of saplings to the public.
The aim was to avoid noise pollution. There was no DJ sound box or band party along with the bridegroom or the bursting of firecrackers.
A teacher of Choudakulat-based Jagannath Vidyapitha, Saroj Kant Biswal (33), a resident of Balabhadrapur village, went to marry Rashmi Rekha Paital, the daughter of Maheswar Paital, of Balana, distributing saplings to fellow villagers.
After the marriage, he walked a km back from his in-laws’ house with his relatives blowing conches and distributing saplings to villagers.
Saroj said a dream had come true for him. He wanted to set an example by not taking a single pie as dowry and by not creating noise and environmental pollution during his marriage, Saroj said.
During marriage negotiations, he and his family refused to take a single pie from the bride’s father. But the bride’s father, Maheswar Paital, said that he would give something as ‘kanyadan’ rituals mandated it.
As a result, Saroj asked his father-in-law to donate 1001 saplings of fruit trees to him a day before the marriage. The bride’s father sent 1001 saplings Thursday to Saroj’s house. The bridegroom took the saplings in a lorry and started his marriage procession.
He gave one sapling each to all his relatives and fellow villagers and to the villagers of the bride and requested them to take care of the plants.
“It’s a memorable day for me as I distributed 700 saplings that I got from my father-in-law on the day of my marriage. I also spread the message of the need to protect nature. I have decided to donate the remaining 300 saplings to the guests who would visit my house Sunday to attend the reception,” said Saroj.
As the secretary of the Balabhadrapur Vikas Parisad and convenor of “Gachha Ti Pai Saathi Tiye”, he was always concerned about the environment and wanted to give a message about the need to plant trees to save the planet from global warming and climate change.
“I hope that what I have done will encourage others to follow my path during their marriages,” said Saroj, who has planted nearly 1000 trees in his locality.
“I am extremely happy to get such a nice man as my life partner who is against dowry and is creating awareness about the need to protect the environment,” said Rashmi, who is also a teacher at Ranipada-based Kamala Nehru Girls’ High School in Cuttack.
“Saroj has set an example with his unique marriage. If everyone follows his example it will help the environment. It is also a move against dowry,” said Biraja Prasad Pati, an environmentalist.
Saroj has also decided not to use plastic and polythene things during his marriage reception and has requested guests not to use plastic and polythene products.
PNN
