Pedal away to heavenly bliss

The word ‘cycle’, originating from the Greek ‘kyklos’, meaning ‘circle, wheel, or circular motion’, coined in the 1860s, to describe a two-wheeled vehicle.

The feeling of being on the move always fascinated me, with the thrill of learning to ride a bicycle being the first such experience. To begin with, I used a hired bike, rented for four annas for every half hour, before the days of the naya paisa.

After getting used to the idea of walking while dragging the cycle, came the tricky step of standing balanced on the foot pedal on one foot while the cycle moved forward. Over a period of time, began the glorious experience of learning to ride a bicycle.

After acquiring one of my own, I was able to go to school. But the challenge was climbing off! I had to keep circling, shouting for help, until someone came and helped!

The bicycle remained my means of transport for several years thereafter. I recall starting at the crack of dawn, from our home in the outskirts of Hyderabad, cycling as much as 14 km, to learn to play tennis. Afterwards, I would go for a swim in a pool nearby; and still have enough energy to cycle back home!

Recently, when I was well into my seventies, I had an exciting experience. My wife Usha and I were on a visit to Hong Kong, visiting our daughter, son-in-law and the grandchildren. One day we went for a picnic. After a couple of beers and a hearty lunch, I happily got onto a bicycle and joined in a group ride, with children less than half my age. The feel of the wind brushing against my face and making my hair fly, and the sheer exhilaration of realising that what was learnt decades ago were unforgettable!

The World Bicycle Day is celebrated every year on June 3, declared by the United Nations in 2018, to promote the use of bicycles as an affordable, sustainable, and healthy mode of transportation which reduces carbon emissions and combat climate change, while serving as a tool for empowerment and independence. The theme this year was ‘Cycling for a Greener Future’.

The tradition was started in 2015, by the American Professor Leszek Sibilski, who initiated a grassroots campaign with his sociology class to promote a UN resolution that would designate a day for the advocacy and celebration of the humble bicycle all over the world. The campaign catapulted into a massive movement and eventually resulted in a dedicated international day set by the United Nations for the promotion of cycling. A logo was also designed with an accompanying animation, showing bicyclists riding on various types of bicycles around the world, the message conveyed being that a simple contraption serves all of humanity and bridges the gap between people from different walks of life.

The celebration of the World Cycle Day is marked by several events in different parts of the world.

The celebration is not to be confused with the observance of the ‘Bicycle Day’, which, in a most curious way, is an unofficial celebration on April 19 of the psychedelic revolution and the first psychedelic trip on LSD by Albert Hofmann in 1943. It is commonly celebrated by ingesting psychedelics and riding a bike, sometimes in a parade, and often with psychedelic-themed festivities. The Day is being celebrated by psychedelic enthusiasts since the beginning of the psychedelic era.

Cycling was introduced in the 19th century and remains popular with more than a billion people worldwide, as a means of recreation, transportation and sport. The first bicycles with gears appeared in the late 19th century, with early practical systems emerging in the 1880s and 1890s to help cyclists manage hills and distance.

The story of cycling in India started in the 19th century in, what were then, Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta. Historian David Arnold recorded interesting events and anecdotes on cycles in India, in his book, ‘Everyday Technology: Machines and the making of India’s Modernity’.

While some reports cite Ludhiana as the ‘bicycle capital of India’ as 75 per cent of India’s bicycles are manufactured there, cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Pune remain the main hubs for active cyclists.

Enterprising adventurers often undertake world tours on cycle from India to promote global peace, environmental sustainability, cultural exchange, and to break personal endurance records. They raise awareness for causes like ‘Save Environment’ or ‘Education for All’, while showcasing Indian culture, such as the journey from India to Switzerland.

So much has cycling become a symbol of freedom, mobility, and independence, especially for women, that in 1991–1992, Sheela Rani Chukath, formerly district collector, of Pudukkottai district in Tamil Nadu, championed a grassroots social revolution with over one lakh rural women participating, to learn to ride bicycles to boost their confidence and economic economy. The campaign later merged into the ‘Arivoli Iyakkam’ or light of knowledge, campaign.

The world of cycling has also been the subject around which movies have been produced, some very successful and greatly appreciated by audiences around the world. There was, for instance, ‘Bicycle Thieves’ of 1948 vintage. Directed by Vittorio De Sica, it was a foundational masterpiece of Italian neorealism. The devastating and simple plot followed a desperate, unemployed father in the post-World War II Rome, who embarks on a frantic citywide search for his stolen bicycle-the only item standing between his family and starvation.

Some song sequences featuring popular actors and actresses while riding bikes also became very common, especially in English and Hindi movies. “Michael Hai To Cycle Hai”, for example, was a playful, romantic duet from the 1960 Bollywood film ‘Bewaqoof’. Likewise, there was this song in the 1956 movie, ‘Ek Hi Rasta’ the lyrics of which went:

“Saanvale salone aaye din bahaar ke

jhumate nazaare jhume rag ugaar ke

nadi kinaare, koyal pukaare

aayaa zamaanaa gaao git pyaar ke

saanvale salone aaye din bahaar ke”.

It is common, in big offices and commercial buildings, for cycles in which the staff travel to work to be parked in a stand, often very closely packed adjacent to each other. And, if by accident, the first one should fall off, a sort of cascading motion sets in, with all the remaining bicycles collapsing. Former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu once said that looking at India’s batting he was reminded of the cycle stand at Rajendra talkies in Patiala. One wicket falls, and all others follow in quick succession!

Some enterprising individuals, who were devoted aficionados of bicycling, are known to have undertaken extraordinary feats. One such was Dr. Raj Phanden, also known as ‘Cycle Baba’, a travel vlogger who cycled through 92 countries. Likewise, P K Mahanandia, famed for his love for cycling, cycled from India to Europe in the 1970s traversing Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey.

Such is the appeal the bicycle carries, as a symbol simplicity and accessibility, and representing the common man, that the legendary NTR chose it as the symbol for his newly formed Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in 1983, and rode a wave of unprecedented success.

The word cycle can often lend itself to use in somewhat unusual contexts which are quite different from the central theme of this discussion. For instance, a ‘vicious circle’ is a self-perpetuating chain of events in which one negative problem causes another, which then worsens the original problem. A ‘cycle of fortune’, represents the inevitability of change, destiny, and the cyclical nature of life, where highs inevitably lead to lows and vice versa. Rooted in medieval philosophy and tarot, it serves as a reminder to accept shifting fortunes - good luck, bad luck, or karmic lessons - as part of a larger cosmic rhythm.

Apart from being a source of an environment friendly transport, a wholesome and entertaining social activity and inexpensive, compared to other means of transport, such as motorcycles or cars, bicycles are also an excellent medium for exercise. They provide a highly effective low- impact cardiovascular workout that burns calories, boosts heart’s health and strengthens the lower body while, at the same time, being extremely convenient and weather–proof.

Therefore, I have always had a stationary bicycle at home as a very welcome alternative to going to a gym or exercising in the open air, when it rains or is extremely hot outside.

It is only after reading such a narration of the history of cycling, that one really appreciates the wisdom behind the saying “The bicycle is the only chain that sets you free!”

(The writer was formerly Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh)