I called Shohab Bhai to tell I left Kutch and he told me to reach an equestrian farm where he was practising to become a farrier for sport horses. When he was unable to join, he directed me to reach Kolhapur. I stopped at a sugarcane juice shop by the highway, 60 kilometres before and he asked me to reach The Tararani Statue. Me being sober for weeks, I requested him if he can arrange a smoke and he said things will be taken care.
As I Passed a toll booth, a traffic constable was in a double mind whether to stop me or not but he finally did. He then asked about me and I told him the story. I don't know what happened to him, He forced me to go with him to a tea shop and bought me tea and pakodas, he asked me numerous times if I had finished my lunch, also went to buy me a couple water bottles for the journey when I stopped him and said it was really an honour to meet such a Cop, who can be so humane. I was simply amazed at the way he treated.
I called Shohab Bhai to say, I reached the destination, The Tara Rani Chowk. Tara Rani was the queen of Chhatrapati Rajaram, the son of Shivaji, known for her fight against the Moghul occupation. The statue was of her sitting on a horse with a sword in her hand and it was the most well-balanced statue in the country balanced on just two legs. It was a celebration in the middle of a busy street when he cheerfully came and lifted me like a sack of cotton saying, "Bhai tu mera hero re"
This time I was tailing his stallion, an 80's model Royal Enfield Bullet. We rode through the city traffic and upon reaching his friend's apartment, he handed me a fat king sized joint and said Welcome home, my brother! I was home indeed. I couldn't buy any dope after Bir, so now with a few puffs, I mellowed down in seconds. His friends joined the celebration that even, I made chicken and rice for dinner, holding a beer in hand and boys singing some good old songs while one played the guitar. Just a perfect blend for a lifetime memory.
Something weird happened that day. I flipped, Like going unconscious, I wasn't so stoned or drunk either. I could sense my surroundings but couldn't open my eyes and suddenly someone untied my hair. That's when I came back to my senses. As I opened my eyes I asked who untied my hair? It was Shohab Bhai, I asked why and he said, in past, When his friend's friend met with an accident and went unconscious, his friend untied her hair and she came back. I knew that feeling because I had experienced it in the past with a strange feeling of something was not right. Then, I get to know his friend had thrown out some religious Idols from his house recently. It could be a reason because the last time this happened, I was with Saji and Bhagat when I flipped and these guys just couldn't move me, upon waking up I said: "This place is not right and it doesn't want us to be there". Something felt so wrong that when Brother wanted to go back that night, I asked him not to. It was just a negative feeling and he decided to stay. some time later he gets a call saying his office was raided. He slept there and left before I woke up in the morning.
His friends took me for breakfast and we started with our beers in the afternoon. One of his friends came and asked me did I know who he was? since I kept calling him by name, I said, yes. He runs a bakery called Hindustan Bakery. He then asked, do you know how many branches it had and I said no. I stood blank for a moment when he said they had more than a hundred branches inside Kolhapur itself. Man, last night he made me sleep on the bed and slept on the floor. I was in tremor.
He came back later and said they have given a number, partially for a bribe and partially for a fine and things were taken care of. I then asked him if he was really a big man in town and he nodded with a smile. That evening, One of his friends, a chef, prepared a delicious mutton biryani with gravy just as perfect to go with. It was a feast in Kolhapur and I was feeling home already.
His friend gave me a Badge of India, My first badge and it felt like an medal. Shohab Bhai gave me another just as same and it felt just as another one. I had a 600-kilometre ride and I was in no mood to stop over, The sad feeling of the journey coming to an end, I did not want to go back. I woke up at 11 in the morning and was set in 30 minutes. Shohab Bhai escorted me to the highway and parted, showing me the direction, Inshah Allah we meet again I thought.
With a distance to cover I started pushing the bike as soon as I hit the highway, Mostly on full throttle, I put myself and the bike to the extreme. Hardly took a break or stopped to eat, i was just racing as fast as i can. I stopped around 9 PM and put up a status looking for a place to sleep in Bangalore. With messages flooding my phone, I was too tired to reply or decide. I turned off the internet, called Akshay, my friend from college and said, I wanted to rest.. Back on the bike I again started ripping it with full-force moving as fast as possible. Finally, It was 12:30 Am when I reached his house covering a distance of 620 kilometres.
He opened the door and guided me to the room on the top floor where I slept like a baby.
The next morning, I came downstairs to meet his ever loving family. His aunt, parents and grandparents. Greeting everyone and started sharing stories from the road. When they served me with a stomach full south Indian breakfast, I was feeling home again. Akshay doesn't eat much, so we friends normally empty the vessels when we are there. A good coffee and a 500 rupee note from his grandmother before leaving.
When it was too full to move, we sat and planned on a small get together. Abhi said he would pick at 3 noon, Bharath was on his way, Bhagat rode from Coorg, Karthik and Chandra stayed close to Pissays, where we all decided to meet. Turns out Abhi's car had issues and we rode about 50 kilometres from Mathikere to Basweshwarnagar to electronic city. It was the right time for us all to gather for one grand night. Just like old times. But! We all had to ride back this time, Pissay being a married man. It was about 2 midnight when me and Akshay sneaked into his house to our respective rooms. What a day, what a trip, it didn't feel at all like its been 6 months and not less than 20,000 kilometres, riding in all weathers and roads, from the sands to the snow, from the mountains of Himalayas to the wonder of gods Arunachal and Meghalaya, from the temples and mosques to the churches and monasteries, finding answers, finally when I read Kutch nahi dekha toh kuch nahi dekha, the sunrise and sunset at Kutch explained this quote so well .
I Can't close without thanking everyone who helped me make this possible, ones who cared, ones who shared, ones who paid, ones who offered, ones who taught, ones who said don't worry, ones who said go on, today I'm Back and alive, after Living with nothing but a bike and a backpack, fulfilling a long dream of Passion.
Let money not stop anyone from chasing their passion, if you love it then be ready to make friends with pain, its more than just earning to live and living to earn.
How does it feel to have no thoughts? No thoughts of your own. To be free, not attached to anything or anyone, To believe in him for if there is a need it will be met, and to dare to speak the truth. No wonder why some people take shelter in the mountains away from all people. Now, I prefer silence too, for the soul can travel to places I've been, in a blink of an eye, it's a beautiful life.
I reached home the next evening when my mom literally took an Aarthi for me and welcomed me home. They have installed fancy lightings at the homestay and a new grand refrigerator, and more pets and birds kept for my mother's pride. I Don't understand how people can love a living thing by keeping it in captivity! I was still sick of them all! my parents and them wicked aunts in the family. I only saw selfish and worldly souls. I did not care anymore and nobody felt worth being cared for.
For I wanted to fly, my father funded in buying the glider. All I need is one good motorcycle for life that I can buy with time and business and live a simple life ahead and travel as much as I can. After coming home, I became silent. If Money is all it is, then I shall make some too, hope I will be able to hold on to myself. That money which made me beg to live my passion, the money that has blinded my parents and a million families like mine, and the money! which has turned a curse to us, Humans.
A man can do anything once he loses faith in God! So I let him, God, into my life and started walking the way he paved.
metta
Picture Gallery
Platina Back to where it started.
A gem of a Cop, Mahalay
A bikers Pride.
Final stop at Akshay's house.
A picture from the ride.
Celebration is when good friends get together.
The Map of my Ride around India.
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Thankful to them all, Thankful to the One! Much metta
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