I was fortunate to realize early in my life that what I wanted to do when I grow up and my dreams of a better future, it was the process of going through series of challenges, struggle and setbacks, that has come to me one after another. But with courage, I had overcome those challenges. I found myself in numerous uncomfortable situations, but those have given me a precious opportunity to discover my true potential and virtues and with this article I’m about to tell you one of my experience of going across India on a motorcycle, where I slept on a bench, drink tea with dakoits (thug) and drove 24 hours a night.

Back in 2017, I moved from Pondicherry to Chennai to became a business consultant in an IT company. My work was only 14 hours a week and It was a great job with enough time to reflect and to work on myself, so during my free time I used to read books. The initial work contract was only for 5 months, at the end of the contract I had a chance to renew the contract (on my great performance and business result), or to leave the company and pursue my dreams. I choose to pursue my dream and ended the contract by January 2018. I had a plan to go to San Francisco and chase my vision for future technology, I had to travel across India before saying here bye.

I give away my stuff but kept my precious belongings such as my bikes for the trip to India, it could also be fun to do a cross country trip on a motorcycle. I had two motorcycles one was Yamaha FZ and another was KTM RC 390, I sold my Yamaha to my friend, and kept my RC 390 for my road trip. It is an aggressive sports model and highly uncomfortable motorcycle for a long trip but where is the fun without being uncomfortable, we have to be uncomfortable to enjoy life to the fullest.

On 20th June 2018, I came down to Auroville after Chennai and traveling in South India, I had a wonderful day spending time with my old friends from Auroville. The plan was to do the trip in July and here I am only a few days away to hit the road so, the day before my trip, I prepared my motorcycle and organized luggage for a long solo trip.

 It was the morning of 10th July 2020, when I started my trip from Auroville. Starting by 9:00 AM I met my friends on the way, one I used to call Bhaijaan in Urdu (Brother-in-law) his name is Shabir and he runs Kashmiri garment in Kuilapalyam road of Auroville (recommended shop to purchase all sorts of Kashmiri garments and ornaments) and then I met another friend Sahu (the very honest and humble security of Auroville township).

Day 1:

 Pondicherry to Bangalore,

on the way, I stopped in Tiruvannamalai and had Paratha at my favorite restaurant located in the main market area of the town (here is the site map for you). On the way I stopped by at the “Ramanan Maharishi Ashram” and thought of seeing my Spanish family I used to call here Gayatri Maa “She had been my Mentor” and a highly talented artist living in Tiruvannamalai for more than 30 years now. But it was only a thought, I then moved on towards Bangalore on the way I brought five huge Mangoes, and caught in the rain. I ate those mangoes on the way, they were delicious. Here I am busking on the traffic of Bangalore and then called my college mate who was then working and living in Bangalore “My college mate used to call him Bakri (a Goat)” I still don’t know why. He was living in a PG with his 5 other roommates, they all were very kind. My friend shared his dinner, and l spent 2 days in Bangalore, and we traveled around the city doing shopping. By the early morning of the 3rd, day of the trip I continued towards Hampi “A UNESCO recognized Heritage Town”.

Day 3:

Bangalore to Hampi

I started from Bangalore by 5:00 AM and reached the destination by something around 3:00 Pm. It was sunny with warm weather and I was weary from the trip but it all fades down when I arrived at the beautiful lake, and small temples just before reaching the Heritage town, I meditated there for some time and finally reach Hampi, on my arrival to the Krishan temple I found some guest’s house owners calling tourist to their guest houses. There was one who invited me to his guest house, it was located on the riverside of Hampi and you can see the view of Hippie Island from there with a café on the ground floor.

The people from the cafe quickly become my friend, I used to go there in the evening drinking a glass of milk and write my diary, I spent only 2 days there and just in that short period I nearly explored the town and visited place such a Sloth bear Sanctuary, temples, and the villages. I met very good people and enjoyed my time in Hampi

Paying for the guest house, I continued my travel on the 3rd. day and stopped by the outer sanctuary, which was just on my way.

Day 5 – Day 7 (2-Days on Road)

Hampi-Hyderabad- Nagpur-Jabalpur-Varanasi

Biryani at Hyderabad: After having a nice breakfast at 7:00 am after Hampi, I was well on my trip. On the way to Hyderabad, I was welcomed with the hundreds of Java Plum or Indian blackberry trees. I plucked enough fruits for my late lunch; they were very sweet and delicious. I then arrived in Hyderabad, and suddenly the Hyderabadi Biryani ticked my head and I began searching for a good Biryani Restaurant, which should be crowded with local people (as no one can taste better than the locals). I finally found one with the people waiting in the queue. Instinctively, I knew this is the one I’m looking for!

I got one parcel of full plate Hyderabadi biryani for 90 Indian rupees; it smells so delicious that I couldn’t drive any longer before eating it. By then it was already late evening, and the highway became busy, the cars were zooming on the highway. I stopped right after Hyderabad in the Petrol station, open my bag chain, torn down the plastic, washed my hand with the bottle of drinking water, and began eating the biryani. It was a delicious Biryani I ever, I was sorry for the dog waiting to get some leftover. I had them all!

After washing my hand, I began my trip I thought I could make it to Nagpur only by finding a place to sleep overnight somewhere on the way. It was already midnight and there wasn’t anything. I stopped at the gas station by 2;00 am to take a break and rest until morning. A man came after me, he was very frightened and was saying the workers that there was a gang stealing people on the way to which I passed just passed 15 minutes earlier, I was lucky perhaps! Out of his fear he spends his night at the same petrol station. I found a solid concrete bench with the bike cover as my pillow. I remember waking up suddenly several times, just to be careful. By the morning 5 Am I started my Journey I was only 100 Kilometers from crossing the Andhra Pradesh state.

Through the Highway of Maharashtra: Continuing my trip, I was on the well-paved broader Highway of Maharatra, there is not much to recall from the state apart from the good road journey experience, on warm sunny weather. Ah, and the one when I had my first engine auto shutdown on the Kanyakumari Highways (Northwest Corridor Highway), that was the beginning of my tribble electronic breakdown.

Highway overnight at Madya Pradesh.

By then there were few moments when I realize that there is something wrong with my KTM because the bike stopped few times on the Highway, when it happened, I had to wait for about 15-30 minutes or an hour for the engine to be cooled down. On the way I stopped by the mango trees where I saw some children were playing together, it was nice seeing such pretty kids playing. After few minutes a young man came to me and began asking me about my trip, and my work by the end of our chat he then took a selphy with me, soon after a Bolero SUV car stopped and people came to me asking about myself and my motorcycle in a very friendly manner. They told me that they are the Bariyati “From Groom family” and heading towards a marriage ceremony and then they left. After a few minutes under the tree, I continue.

The highway was under construction so it was weary riding on that highway, by the sunset my shoulders, arms, and back were giving up. By the evening I arrived in the Jabalpur town where I had my dinner and then I continued my trip I decided to spend another night at a gas station. It was night already, the highway was full of big 18-wheel lorries, among them I found myself as an ant. After crossing the night traffic, I found a petrol station which had nice ground where the driver sleeps overnight by paying for the cot something about 50-100 rupees. Since I was one with a motorcycle nobody bothered to charge me anything. I found my spot “a nice wooden bench” I parked my bike next to the bench, kept my jacket on the bench support, made the bike cover as my Pillow and bedsit. I slept overnight since I was cautious, I open my eyes abruptly 3-4 times overnight. However, it was the best highway overnight of all time.

I woke up in the morning, there were a toilet, showers, and all possible arrangement for overnight drivers. I washed my face, brush my teeth (first teeth care in 3 days), and continued on the highway.

Morning with Monkeys of Varanasi:

 I continued on the way to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, I saw one temple after crossing Madhya Pradesh state, the was mountainous but not too high. As I was passing through the plane side of the land, I saw a temple, it attracted me so much that I turned my bike to see the place.

There was a Sadhu probably in his 30s sitting in the temple, he came to me and began telling me about the temple. At first, I thought he is trying to make money from me, soon began his introduction he said he doesn’t want any money from me, he just wanted to share.

He began telling by pointing the structure of the temple, as if it is a God’s creation, it was a natural wonder work of art. I thanked him for saying so much about the temple, then I began asking about him. He said he is a Sadhu and has been living like this for a while, he traveled to South India. With grief in his eyes, he shared me his travel experience as a Sadhu, he went to South India where the policeman took his money and kept him in the prison for a few days. In the prison, they shaved his bear and tortured him, I felt very sorry for him and I share a few kind words. Saying Namastes, putting some money to his Puja plate. I continued…

By now I had to stop many times due to my motorcycle electronics breakdown, (the problem is still not known until my trip to Nepal). Once I stopped at the potter’s Veranda where I saw a potter making pot with clay for the first time. I saw the potter’s son making pots, quicker than his father perhaps not as perfect as his father, I told him to educate his son well (as my signature advice) and continued.

By the evening I arrived in Varanasi and stayed in a guest house where I stayed two years ago. The owner’s son was a bike enthusiast with a dream to do a world trip on the motorcycle. I found a nice cozy air-conditioned room I had a very good sleep on a soft bed. I was still in the middle of sleep when I heard the sound of shouting breaking and jumping coming loudly through the window. When I opened my window, I saw monkeys all around, it was a kind of monkey gang fight that broke my morning sleep.

I washed my dirty clothes from the trip and hanged them to dry on the roof. The sun was so that my clothes were dried within 10 minutes. Having my morning breakfast, I wear my riding suits and mount the luggage on the bike. When I was pushing my bike outside the parking area, I felt the unusual heaviness.  On inspection in found out that my rear tire has flattened, thanks to my mechanical skill together with the toolbox and air pump I was carrying, I fixed it within 30 minutes. I heard a lot of appreciation for my mechanical skill from the people from the shopkeepers near me. Saying thanks to everyone I continue, but blocked by the big fat bull heading straight towards me on a narrow gallery where either you or the bull can pass at once, the bull turns and went. It was a relief and I continued…

Day 8- End of the Trip

Varanasi to Vaishali

I was on my way home, Vaishali is about 300 kilometers from Varanasi. By now the bike engine has been stopping frequently, it sometimes stopped at the truck yard, sometimes in mid of the busking traffic, sometime in the lone highway, and sometimes in the forest. It was less than a 7 hours’ drive but because of the electronics breakdown, it took me 14 hours to reach my home.

I arrived at my family home by midnight 1:00 AM on the 9th day of my road trip across India.

Epilogue:

Travelling gives you a priceless opportunity to discover yourself when you act with virtue such as an act of courage. The only thing we should do is let ourselves go from where we are now and where we want to go in our life. I wish everyone should have an experience that has been done through the act of courage.

You will never be the same again.

Tips and Trick: Before you start a long motorcycle trip it is highly important to properly check your motorcycle.

1.  See the tire pressure, and fill the air once in 500 KM

2. Check the engine oil level,

3. Wear protective gears,

4. Minimize luggage (try to fit everything in one or two)

5. Consult your nearest bike service center,

6. Visualize memories that excite you for the trip.

7. Make sure you have sufficient tools and an air pump to deal with situations as I had.