Bicycling....and Me!

A bicycle is probably most affordable asset in India yet in my younger days, not many people owned it. Bollywood movies also used it rarely and so though affordable, it wasnt as popular as cars. In recent years though I see more people own one and use it for casual workouts or for endurance races. Perhaps one of the main reasons to celebrate National bike month is to encourage more folks to give biking a try and showcase the many benefits of bicycling.

As a little girl, I watched young and middle aged men carry heavy loads on their bicycle; some carried tiered Tiffin boxes for a bunch of hungry school kids, while others carried large courier packages or gas cylinders.  I remember watching them in admiration and wondering about the number of bournvita scoops they added in their milk. I also remember aspiring to be as strong as them and drinking milk with an extra scoop of bournvita...for at least a year.

As I entered my teens, only the ‘cool’ girls rode a bicycle. I would rent a bicycle from Minoo’s bike shop, just across the street, they had a lot of bikes, some leaning or hanging off a greasy oily wall. I'd try to learn how to ride, literally one frantic second at a time. Learning how to bike and dealing with the fears of falling down and getting hurt was probably one of the most challenging things I encountered at that age. Thankfully we were practicing on a straight road at a time when most sane people were listening to some soothing songs on all India radio or snoozing through their afternoon nap. 

Biking is a fun only when you free yourself or at least learn to deal with your worst fears. I still hold on to my bike for dear life and always look for lonely roads/trails to bike.  I am still terrified of losing control or being hit by another biker or a car and ending up in a hospital crippled but when I watch people enjoy their ride, I feel inspired. It helps to ride with some good company or like minded friends; In my case, music now accompanies me on my rides and makes it easier to relax. So whether I ride with fear or without, the one thing I am able to enjoy is the wind on my face!

Looking to enjoy some bollywood tunes sung on a bicycle? Check this out: http://www.mixcloud.com/Radioazad/radio-azad-june-5-bolly-talkies-bicycle-n-bike-theme/

Memory of a special day...

My closet is a treasure of memories and cleaning it promises an emotional roller coaster ride. For ten years I have unsuccessfully tried to throw away my faded and abnormally shrunk blue and orange salwar kameez; I don’t fit into it but it is a reminder of a beautiful memory.

We bought it on a hot sunny afternoon of Oct 16, 1993 at a local hand-loom fair. It was a special day; we had just returned from our final hospital visit and were hoping to celebrate the new lease of life. So, as we walked through the shops, a simple cotton outfit with a rare fusion of vibrant blue/orange colors caught our attention; it was love at first sight. Perhaps, we needed the color in our life that time. It was priced at Rs. 585; though not expensive, we were a middle class family with a lot of unpaid medical bills, so we bought it only after some sincere debate. As our thrilled vendor packed the outfit, he offered us free bangles as a special deal – just for us. I am certain he had overheard our hushed debate because the bangles looked expensive and surely didn't deserve to be freebies. We tried to decline the offer but he was determined and placed the neatly wrapped bangles on my discolored and scarred hand. I had not intended to show my scars and so I was really embarrassed. Noticing my reaction, he quickly justified by saying, 'Every pretty girl’s got to wear jewelry'. We walked away that day exchanging smiles and postponing our financial or health related worries.

I am not sure if it was the beautiful words or just buying something other than medicines that eased our pain that day. The wounds of painful memories were soothed with this happier one, the one this outfit continued to hold, perhaps much longer than the bangles... Should I then let go of the outfit?

Finally in an attempt to accumulate memories and not possessions (outfit), I gave it away. The memory is mine to keep. Now each time the gorgeous evening sky adorns its blue and orange shade, it reminds me of that special day.