Mithun Govindasamy’s parents thought that he was away at Leh attending a meditation camp. He was, but after the course, the 21-year-old from Pollachi decided to cycle back from the Valley all the way to Kanyakumari. “I had always wanted to go to Kashmir. When my yoga instructor asked me to join a Vipassana course, I chose Leh as my centre.” He had initially planned to cycle from Srinagar to Leh after his course, but “once I started, I didn’t stop.”
Words gush out in a torrent as he talks about his trip through Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala to reach Kanyakumari. “I chose to cycle as I thought it would be more adventurous. Cycling also helped me to get a glimpse of the lives of the local communities and I was not polluting the environment either.”
Cycling high
Govindasamy flew with his bicycle to Srinagar, where he met Col Kulawant Singh at a repair shop. “I told him about my plans and he offered me accommodation in army camps from Srinagar to Leh. He also wished me luck and asked me to pray for peace in our country. I decided to dedicate my trip to peace and harmony.”
He started his trip on August 6 and covered around 140 km a day on the plains and 60 km a day in the mountains. The distance from Srinagar to Leh was the most difficult, he said. “The oxygen level was very low. I was freezing and the roads were very rugged. All I wanted was to reach Leh, attend the course and return home.” After his course, he gained the confidence to cycle to Kanyakumari. Govindasamy did not take any special training but he practises yoga and goes to the gym regularly.
He stayed in dhabas and with locals (through Couchsurfing) and ate local food. “I met 70-year-old Karan Singh from Jaipur on my way to Manali. He was riding across India on his bicycle. We rode together for two days and I learnt from him that taking occasional breaks helps one recoup.”
Trying out the local food was the best part of his trip. “There was so much variety. In Leh, the cuisine is mostly meat, while in Punjab and Rajasthan, I had a lot of sweets. The taste of the Rajasthani dal bati churma still lingers in my mouth. The fish thali meals in Kerala are definitely one of the best I have ever tried.”
Rookie on a ride
The journey was not all smooth sailing. There were times when he couldn’t find a place to stay. “Once it was raining, dark and Karan Singh and I had travelled a long way. Finally, we saw a very small temple on the roadside. There was just enough space for us to sit through the night.” He had at least seven punctures during his trip, and though he had a tool kit, did not know how to operate it! “If I couldn’t find a workshop, I just filled the tyre with air from a petrol bunk and went on till it deflated. I did this until I found a repair shop.”
While riding from Sonamarg to Kargil, his cycle developed a snag “and the only mechanic I found could not fix the problem. He advised me to take it to Kargil. I pedalled slowly and luckily most of the path was downhill.” Around 30 km from Sonamarg, he met a Korean cyclist who pointed out that “my cycle chain was twisted. He advised me to go back and get it fixed.” Govindasamy then travelled all the way back to the same mechanic who fixed it in no time.
In Chandigarh, he had to deal with the loss of his ID card and wallet. “They were in a small bag tied to my handlebar. The road was in a bad shape and I did not notice the bag had fallen off. I called my mother and she transferred some money through my host at the place I was staying.”
And Google Maps did not always lead him correctly. “Around Karwar, I was supposed to cross a bridge as per its directions. I reached the spot, but there was no bridge. I enquired with the locals and they guided me through a railway track till I found the right road. I had to push and carry my cycle and, in the end, came out through the back gate of a house,” he laughs.
All along the way, there was a lot of help. “People offered me snacks, water and accommodation at their homes. In Ratnagiri, the hotel owner did not even take money from me. His child was fascinated by my story and rode around on my bicycle.” He reached Kanyakumari on October 3. “The Himalayan mountains are huge, snow-capped and breathtakingly beautiful. It was like a dream. I can’t believe I did it.” What was his parents’ reaction? “They were shocked and are relieved that I am back safely.”
