Bicycles are the wheels for the planet, say cycling enthusiasts

Racing against the wind, legs pumping iron, every pedal turn, a test of endurance. “Suddenly, the world had opened to me in a whole different way.” He discovered that the “man on a bicycle with luggage attracted a lot of conversations with strangers from different walks of lives — tea vendors, kids, bureaucrats, activists, academics, businessmen, lawyers to name just a few.” Discussing the pros and cons of the trip, he believes that not only was it physically, mentally, and spiritually stimulating, but also meditative. I have developed an interest in writing; a book with pictures of my experiences of cycling along the coast of India is my ultimate goal!” Shantanu Moitra Composer Mumbai The national award-winning composer travelled along the banks of the Ganga, covering more than 3,000 kilometres in 2022 and says that during those 75 days, he saw an India that he had never seen before. Says Shantanu, “I had always liked adventure but it is not easy for a man to go adventuring in India if he also has to make a living.” However, after his work on the film 3 Idiots was completed, he took 100 days off and travelled across the Himalayas, upto 14,000 feet, from Kashmir to Tibet. “All the musicians took a leap of faith.” He muses that at the end of the journey, he understood the significance of the Ganga and what it means to people.