DESERT SOJOURN
Himmat-e-Marda toh madad-e-khuda
This phrase has been ringing into my ears from the time i have gained my conscience , reason being i made very unconventional decisions in life with respect to my traditional roots. Though i never felt odd or unconnected , however, things change ,circumstances differ. TW5 finalists call came at a time when i was having second thoughts about my own choices in the past , however destiny is the word for how this ride DESERT SOJOURN materialized.One can loose everything but not hope ,that is called being alive.
The time i realized i had to customize my own ride i started visualizing mirages, deserts, dry dead forests unlike my earlier travel fantasies which always included mountains , greenery and so much life. I knew i ll get varied responses from people , some encouraged, few superficially nodded,others tried to pull me back and some were bold enough to resound hate on face. It is so strange that in a world of so much advancement we still have so much prejudice. We live in a multifaceted society and all the responses so far ,kind of made me go back to where I belong ,to my own backyard,the dusty, dry ,roasting ” Maarudhara” and i must tell you that in the end i was not just elated but much content with my call ,which left with so many surprises, much more real picture of life, unexpected fun and AWE.So this time i choose the oldest mountain ranges , The Aravallis over The Himalayas.
My route started from Jaipur with a multitude of feel good factors from Wrangler store (official flag off , shopping vouchers, gifts, bike stickers and celebrity treatment) .I planned my route with a lot of discussions with friends,riders, photographers, wild lifers and homies. First day was a warm up session since i was riding after an year with a whole lot of 50 days of riding experience in my kitty, i.e 30 days of practice for Himalayan odyssey and other 20 more in Himalayas itself.I almost learnt riding on the roads of Lahaul Spiti. I could have honed my skills , however for a long period my brothers bike was away and later my body confined me from doing so( developed back ache which i thought would strangle me for life)
Dont ask how it feels to have doubts of whether you are going to get to do things which you have loved so much.That pain stopped my life for a while. TW5 came as an ideal relief and a big challenge, one at the same time and i lived every moment of it. I had never experienced anything like this before ,just ride ,be wild and free (officially!).It was already like a trophy to be on roads again . I had been giving up on so many things lately , but this one i just couldn’t let go.It liberated me and came as a much needed breather from usual life .
I realized i was away from home when i entered the great salt lake “Sambhar” where i see no life for miles , the driest earth bed cracking below my feet . Muteness was broken by a distant tractor approaching me playing an old Gypsy tune.I reach my first overnight halt , Pushkar ,sipping Mojito watching the warm sun go down in a back ground fusion music of live prayers at Brahma sarovar , temple bells and Prem Joshua.
From day 2 i was advancing into an area i had never seen before, a combination of twisting and turning foothills and volcanic rock mountains . I had heard much of Kumbhalgarh ,its exotica and beauty in rains. I certainly was worth a vista even now . The great wall of Kumbhalgarh fort stood tall for miles even beyond my eyes could see, camouflaged in the yellow sand and bald trees .
After absorbing its grandeur I moved ahead to my second destination , my night halt and also supposedly the highest point of my ride BERA , to meet Leopards of Jawai.
I had encountered Tigers for past few years,however this time I was eyeing only for a Leopard . I always missed the wild rendezvous by nearly a few meters, a few seconds , a few calls.But miracles happen in nature. An intuition so strong pushed me to try my luck in the other corner of my huge state on a motorcycle in this heat, when chances were minimal.Fortuitously , i got to see ” Shadow” also called Jiaah ,a very graceful mother of two cubs sitting on the mountain top in twilight cuddling those two and those three pairs of eyes shining so bright from miles away .
From Bera to Jodhpur the distance was short, but the temperature factor had manifolded, reason being i was leaving behind Aravallis and moving towards predominantly The THAR DESERT.Without expecting much surprises i continued on the long straight highway often splashing my head and the mesh of my riding jacket for some respite. Jodhpur-Pali highway was not much thrilling,along with monotony factor those killing hot winds burnt every little inch of my exposed skin and soaked the rest.Riding through the peak summer sun, assuming images in the distant mirage, i thought i was loosing my head in heat ,often hallucinating,i was seeing hundreds of women dressed in neon right in the middle of a highway.
Was i dehydrated to such extent,that my cones and rods started shrinking and jumbling?! but as i got closer i was travelling to a real contrast in the middle of nowhere.For a moment i got worried that what happened here, but as the gap reduced , women look normal ,their expressions assured me of no bad. I realized it was a religious fair for which folks of all ages had gathered to pay their respect and love for this new god,the Bullet BABA.(Lovingly called Om bana).
Being an Indian its not new for me to see people worship trees,animals,rocks apart from million gods,but this was really absurd,here the deity was a Motorcycle, a Royal Enfield Numbered 7773 standing tall in a glass cage for some 24 years.There are so many stories on him on the internet,one goes like this,”Om Singh Rajput” met with an unfortunate accident hitting a tree at this very spot and was killed.His bike was taken into police station which inexpiable kept coming back to the same spot, and from then on its here and is worshiped as people believe that 
Om Bana takes care of the travelers on this route .BELIEF is something which can raise ones own senses.I felt the presence of something extraordinary.As i reached the holy pyre, fire kissed my face and went back. I was shocked, seeing this, the priest focused all his attention towards me and told me ” it wont hurt you” He took my phone and circled it around and inside the pyre along with my bike keys and tied the holy thread to it.That aura did move my heart.I wont call my self a follower of this God, but i totally accept i am a Big Fan!
Day 4 was some 300 kms ride. From Jodhpur via Nagaur and Sujangarh to Tal chappar , the black buck sanctuary . My first halt was on the outskirts of Nagaur at India’s first ever cow hospital on the highway , and this halt is not about Cow, our political hit , but about a lot of animals taken care of in the best systematic way .Its a service of its own kind . The medical staff cares the ill wounded and unproductive animals round the clock till it gets well.There are parakeets, peacocks , tortoise, chinkaras .It has a multi specialty chamber for cancer patients . I haven’t come across any organization with this level of compassion and dedication for stray animals.I sometimes feel compassion and hatred run almost parallel .
I was very enthusiastic to see black bucks springing across the grasslands of Tal chappar . From Nagaur to Sujangarh it was good roads, but the one which passes through the buffer zone of the sanctuary was berserk and i myself was springing with the bike on this road. However bike saved me ,i could at least avoid the mad potholes though a four wheel on that small stretch can rattle your bones.
But i think its good as it keeps a check on the speed since blue bulls and black bucks are so close that you can almost get down and touch them, but they are too swift and smart . After reaching Chappar, a small village next to the sanctuary i realized i had to venture on the same road again but this time, god was kind and gave some relief,grey clouds were approaching . Inside the sanctuary bikes are definitely not allowed. I was suggested to freshen up in my neighboring rest house till the time some locals come and i can club with them inside the park on their car.Bike stay lull in parking ,under the shade.
Give a girl all luxuries , then just forget time. So i had a suite to myself and i behaved like some one who had come from Mars. And in next two hours i had turned that suite into a disaster zone . Sun was setting,and luckily some local tourists had come. I was called to take a lift in their Van. Dint see much as the light was gone and it was partly cloudy. In winters the skies of Tal chappar are full of raptors , harriers, demosielle cranes. Now ,not even a bee eater flapped its wings.
So i decide on to take more chances. I sleep in the company of a spotted owlet turning its head 360 degrees to keep a check on any intruder in our common shared space.
Waking up to a hard summer Sun i inquire if i could get a drive inside the park . Narayan ji , the forest guard says, “Madam ji itni garmi me jaanwar naahi dikhte, koi koni aave aithay” ( Madam its too hot for even animals to venture out , no one comes here in the day. ) But i was in such a “roaming around” mode that i just couldn’t give rest to my butt . So i went out to see where i was , i dint see much around the property last night . Having never lived in a deserted zone for such a long stretch,any and every single sound alerted me even in the daylight.
The sullenness was broken every now and then only from the peacocks scream , which wasn’t really a very sweet thing to hear. My personal opinion after this stay is surprisingly different. It was indeed the best time to be here. If one can deal with heat, than it is the most ultimate stay . You are King of the jungle ! Belonging to Rajasthan , peacocks is no exquisite bird for me , however here the sizes were unusually large . They inhabit the forest rest house for year around and familiarize sooner or later
.I remember my pro bird watching sessions began here with a short eared owl . The lobby likewise is decorated with many artifacts of various winter visitors(migratory birds) , so that some one like me should not be missing them much .They look so original that it seems the moment you turn around they will crack into calls and shrieks .
I equip myself with a tele lens ,70-300 mm not to miss on the activities. And the moment i got inside the park i come across a harem of some 5-6 female black bucks in their original habitat , wandering. The sky again turns grayish , providing most perfect background .Tal Chappar remains a part of old, established villages all around and its unique to see how both man and animal cohabit this vast landscape at peace. Though there are not many conservationists like Bishnois however still the populations of the antelopes thrives and is maintained. Good signs!
THE PENULTIMATE DAY of ride arrives . While packing my stuff , i wonder how last 5 days just disappeared. Before the ride , the clock hardly moved and these days i could see the Sun move over my head just like a time lapse. I can see a storm picking up from my window . The closer i am getting home, the more i am loving this heat, this madness, this staying dirty, this RIDE .
I know it would be tough to get out of this spirit again.To get accustomed back to the ways of family, home i plan my last halt at my maternal granny’s place . I kick start and thump forward.Whenever and wherever i put off my helmet i automatically became a center of attraction. After a while i had become used to of it and also started liking it ,being special . Now if by any chance if no one paid attention, then i definitely felt odd, but not the other way round.
My route constituted the Shekhawati region ,”open art gallery of Rajasthan”.I was surprised to see this small village “Mandawa” full of art and history but in ruins.Time stood still here. Unlike what i thought , that how would my relatives would take my madness ,everyone was way too welcoming,the amount of love and the change in attitudes of people that i came across during this ride , the amount of respect i have received is just commendable. I had heard that temperature had broke all records of history crossing 50 degrees and i was to pass that particular area which is notorious for such extremities CHURU for riding back home.
Last day , i can feel my entire body swollen . I experience water attrition.It happens to be the biggest test,w.r.t temperature ,distance, time and emotions. Thought of ending the ride today was making me very restless . I kiss my cute little niece, Dakshayani good bye and throttle away to my last day of escapade .I dint want to stop myself from trying anything mad or new. I could see a small sandy patch separating from the tarmac on a turn. I lowered the gears picked up some courage checked out if i could be able to avail any help, need be and ventured into my calculated risk .
Through out the ride i hardly listened to music . But i couldn’t wait any more . I wanted to enjoy every single second left on road. I haven’t been a pro rider ever. I did not expect much from the day i submitted my entry. But reading past blogs i knew i was totally made for it. Moreover i needed it. TW5 has not just been a ride but a workshop of leading life differently . I have been able to change myself and my own peoples perception about me. I had been longing for something as wild and crazy as this. Hats off to family,friends for their belief in me!
They laid my foundation without any bias,the crazy riders community who dint think twice helping a stranger. Never for a moment i felt down in my spirits. And last but not the least xBHP , True Wanderer , Wrangler Denim , Vans. Wohoo and TRIUMPH for pampering me with this craziness and fun filled week of a lifetime. I will be always grateful to you for bringing in some fresh air in my head . I have truly lived every moment of the ride be it the sunshine, the temperature, the humidity, the jungles, the silence, the twilight , leopard sightings, the temple bells, the mojito , the warm setting sun, the thump of my bike and experienced A VERY HAPPY CONTENTED SPIRIT . It might sound cliche , but i can do this forever 😀
Happy riding !
BHAVNA.S
DESERT SOJOURN
Life like this ..
My homeland is equally romantic , though dull and rough from outside but very vibrant in spirit. So are our customs and ways . The tougher the ways of living gets , the softer the soul becomes. There is a reason our one liner is “padhaaro mhaare des”The ruins are still engrossed in royalty.
I spent my first 17 years here and moved to ‘Chandigarh’ for good, in an all girls college,pursued BSc for next three years, lived as a hosteler who got locked by 5 every evening, with all other girls. it had never been imprisoned virtually ever. The terrace of my hostel had view to foot hills , which i would often climb up, to feel that fresh air of freedom.Someway out needed to be explored and that’s how trekking began .
I joined one of the premiere NGOs for sustainable travel , ‘youth hostel association of India’ and did various national level treks including Limca world record expedition for mountain biking on the highest passes of the world , on the toughest terrain and highest altitude ,where normal vehicles too die out cause of thin air, where one literally listens to ones own heartbeat. mountain sickness hits one head and can leave it effects for life in various ways. And the relief is only that thin air.
I always wanted to stay mobile . And i was running out of time so had to pick up something which becomes a reason to move around . I picked up camera after grad and did a short course from Delhi in TV production. In that time i discovered all options of cheap transport in Delhi and amazing eating joints. Watched films alone to have three hours of air conditioning and though of myself as a super intellectual person for god knows what reason
Once the course finished the actual learning started. Face off with the real media world. I could never justify myself standing in the long cues in front of political party offices . After trying and hitting on possible fair chances and gaining some experience I picked up a gear of my own and started it all alone. I did come across comments like ” stop trying to be a one man army and blah blah.. however it just went past my head and i could see myself slowly fitting into my own designed shoes.
In the meantime i got featured on my favorite channel National geographic India for a show on amateur photographers
I had made multi trips to laddakh and had waited for a nice gear all my life to film the polarized skies. And i must say i am grateful to that power who makes all weird wishes and dreams come true.Mighty nature have turned me into a strong believer .And talking of HIMALAYAS the mighty landscape provides a new experience every time .It is kind of exotic but the moment you breathe in that fresh air,it makes you feel young over and over again. The majestic grandeur and the unpretentious adventures accompanied with thrill is all about the magnetism of this place.
I have always had a bent towards nature, and one of the million things i wanted to be was also a wild life film maker. I realized in time it was a lot of money and a lot of permissions. However opportunity can knock your door, or it can also knock windows! mine knocked my email. I chanced upon a proposal to film conservation stories right next door on demosielle cranes migration and i watched the biggest congregation of the same mesmerized ,flying over my head thousands of them , graying the blue skies.
work appreciated and another opportunity to travel the other edge of the country in Dudhwa national park to film first ever lady forest guards of the county patrolling always on foot through tiger and crocodile infested lands and water.
I have been shuttling between the best of both worlds i guess, sometimes the silence of forests and other times the throttle of a rally car. I had been moving around with convoys of desert rallies, Himalayan rallies , Mountain biking rallies, whitewater expeditions and all that i could imagine of . Home has often been anywhere and everywhere
The best thing that happened to me on these filming sessions was to experience adrenaline rush and understand what thrill , excitement and wandering is all about . To be on my own i learnt one of the best modes of solo travel , a bike which can be best travel buddy. A good photograph on the bike during Tour de Thar made me learn the bike . That picture became one of the reasons to learn a 500 cc bullet in a month and ride it through 3000 kms of rough terrain while i was still learning .Thats how Himalayan odyssey 2015 happened to me.
It is rightly said, while you travel in a four wheeler you seem to watch a film, but when you ride through you become a hero of your own film. It does feel so. Its much of a pilgrimage one must take to realize , analyze ones own life if you are a wanderer spirit or not . It is so important to treat oneself with a trip like this , going out and experiencing it by own self is more important than watching it on TV , social media or hearing stories.
We do not realize how much we want to do it till the time we start doing it.
Every time when my journey comes to an end , I want to share it all with you . One realizes how important it was to keep ones feet on the ground and at the same time head in the clouds while travelling . All these sojourns prepared me for tough journeys ahead. My camera clicked whenever,whatever I felt for. I clicked the stunning sandunes, natural rock formations,Himalayas , Tigers, birds, people . Nature of all kinds inspires to rise, to rise above all odds.The thrill of unknown, the risks, the difficulties, a test of ones own courage ,a zest to try know oneself from inside is what one discovers when we set out .Everybody deserves a change. Everybody should be blessed to have a story to share..
Amen
https://www.behance.net/bhavnas
beentheredonethat2015 