The Bygone Bullock Cart

by Camelia Nathaniel

Not just to transport paddy, these bullock carts were also used to distribute kerosene in the old days, where a tank filled with kerosene was fixed onto the cart and driven by a bull. A bell attached to the bull’s neck gave the signal to people interested in purchasing kerosene that the cart was in the vicinity.

This was a cheap mode of transport which caused no pollution whatsoever, and the bulls were cheaper to maintain except perhaps for a bundle of hay every day and water. In Sri Lanka, there is a whole facet of poetry (karattha kavi – poems of the cart) devoted to songs sung, and poems recited by the drivers of these carts, to keep awake during the lonely journeys, for most part bullock carts were driven at night to avoid the heat of the day, and make it less tiring for the bulls.

Today however these bullock carts are only seen in museums and perhaps some village inns. A variety of these carts are on display at the Martin Wickremasinghe Museum in Koggala as well.

 

Bullock cart races

The bullock cart races, or better known locally as the Thirikkal race are now banned, perhaps due to criticism and uproar by animal rights activists. According to the police too, all police stations had been issued circulars banning such bullock cart races as it is seen as cruelty to animals.

However, even though the bullock cart has been replaced by tractors and lorries in the developed areas of the country, still in many remote villages the bullock cart is being used as a mode of transport and for transport of goods and agricultural produce. In certain areas in the North the bullock cart is also being used for the transport of water, which has to be fetched from far off places.

There were several types of carts that were being used in Sri Lanka and the most significant of these was the bullock cart.

While the bullock cart was a more sturdy type of contraption where two large wooden wheels were attached to a base platform, and the front of this platform was resting on the neck of either one or two bulls by two wooden shafts. A rope was also used for one or two animals. The driver and any other passengers sit on the front of the cart, while load is placed in the back. Large quantities of paddy, or other goods could be piled onto the carts and the poor bulls were forced to pull these carts. However, once motor driven vehicles were introduced, the tyres of some of the decommissioned vehicles were used on these bullock carts making it easier for the bulls as the rubber tyres made it easier to pull. These carts were also used to transport people.

However, the thirikkalaya is a smaller version of the bullock cart and was used mainly by the affluent village folk in the past for private transport. The thirikkalaya was also used for racing in the villages during the New Year festivities. However, as this was considered cruel to the bulls,who were whipped and lashed to run faster, it was later banned as a sport.

These carts were driven by a variety of animals in the past. The bull, donkey, buffalo and horses were used to pull these carts. In addition there were several varieties of carts, namely, the bullock cart drawn either by one or two bulls, thirikkalaya, buggy cart, etc. Drawn by a single bull, the cross beam in front of the thirikkalaya supported the ‘driver’. The two planks on either side were for four people to sit facing each other, with their feet in the well in the center. The ‘accelerator’ was a touch on the testis of the bull, with the carter using his toe. The bells on the neck of the bull would start jingling as the bull broke into a run.

The life of the cart man was not a fancy one though, as he always had to travel far alone with his cart and bull, and therefore the bull was treated as his best friend. In order to get over his boredom, the cart man would sing along the way or recite poems (Karaththa Kavi) along his journey. The cart man would also treat his bull like his own son, as he is the only companion he has throughout his journey. Often you find these cart men placing their hands on the back of the bull and they also refer to the bull as putha (son). The bull too would pull heavy loads without hesitation, bearing the front part of the heavy load on his neck, which is often calloused and bruised. The cart man too appreciated the work done on behalf of him and his family and thus treated the bull with the highest respect and love.

History has it that as the ships came to Galle and much of the trade activities were done there, the Bullock carts were in plenty being utilised for transport. It is believed that Galle received its name too as all the carts that came into Galle from other areas were being parked in Galle and in Sinhala ‘gall karanawa’ means to park and this is apparently how Galle came to be. Also in around 1838 the postal service was done in horse driven carts. However today the bullock carts have disappeared even from Galle and there are still only around 10 bullock carts that are still in existence in that area. However, still there is one kerosene oil cart still in existence in Galle.

 

Dying trade

Most of the cart men that worked in Galle are no longer alive and their offspring are not interested in engaging in this dying trade. Moreover now the society looks down upon the cartmen as being the lowest grade of people. Hence the tendency to engage in this trade has almost completely died. Moreover there are no craftsmen who construct these carts either. Even the few carts that are left have rubber tyres as wheels and not the wooden cart wheels, which needs skill to construct.

In the past Galle and Matara areas were famous for bullock carts and according to the few cartmen left, there had been hundreds of carts in these areas. However they claim that today even feeding the bulls that pull the carts is difficult as the meagre amount they make through odd jobs is insufficient. Today a kilo of Punnack is around Rs. 60 a kilo and the cart men do not make enough money to feed their families and the animals that help them earn a living.

The buggy cart too was once the mode of transport of the affluent, but today even the buggy cart is nothing more than a museum exhibit. However in order to provide the visitors the experience, some tourist hotels in the country still preserve this tradition by offering their guests the pleasure of a buggy cart ride.