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/