Akash Agrawal : Riding the heights of Himalaya’s

It's the human brain that makes us stand apart from other primates on earth. For time immemorial we the human beings have got the thirst and hunger to reach the new heights. Exactly this is what driving the spirit of Akash Agrawal of Barpali to ride a bike since his college days. This young man of around 27 years old is a Marwari businessman. Apart from taking risk while doing business, he got the unquenched thirst to undertake the life threatening risks in adventure sports. This young man is passionate about life. At every stage he tried his best to excel in life. He tested the ground for ice skating, observed the air to do paragliding and measured the depth of the water to do water skiing. Apart from all these he got a long standing passion for riding bikes. And for him bike means no ordinary 100cc phatphati(bike). He is fond of riding only Royal Enfield Bullet. In terms of elegance this 500cc duel engine bike could be ranked as the Harley Davidson bike of India. One who owns this bike in India is considered to be a man of aristocracy.

Through social media he got to know about few young men who were planning for a bike expedition to the Himalayas. Akash made a minute planning to undertake this adventure of his life time. But his parents at home were skeptical about this move of their son. His father is well aware how hazardous Indian roads are. In an average in every other minute a person dies on the roads of India because of motor accidents. Many afternoons his mother did not partake food until Akash returns from Bargarh after doing his business assignment. Akash went to a motor garage for two months to learn the basics of bike repairing. Apart from repairing a punctured tube of the bike, he learnt how to replace a clutch wire and change a brake disc pad. He learnt how to clean a carburetor and all other sundry jobs so as he could repair his bike on his own, if it ever breaks down while riding the heights of Himalayas. 

   

Akash caught a train from Odisha and reached New Delhi. He joined a poll of 17 other bikers gathered from across India. He hired a Royal Enfield Bullet from Karol Bagh market of New Delhi. Apart from a bike he hired every safety gadgets that are available in the market. He did not compromise with the equipments because he knew apart from his parents, his wife would be looking forward for his safe return journey to home. He hired a full cover helmet, a jacket, knee guards, elbow guards, shoulder guards, eye glass, surgical gloves and biking gloves.

He got introduced with Srijeet who hails from Kerala. That man came in a bike all the way from the Southern tip of India to reach the Northern top. On 20^th May 2016 early in the morning around 4.30AM the expedition started. There were eighteen participants riding around 15 Royal Enfield Bullets. On the first day of the journey they travelled around 500kms in tropical summer temperature of around 50 degree Centigrade. By evening at 6.00PM they reached Pathankot. In the first day itself their bodies were completely dehydrated. They checked into a hotel and rested in the night.

Early morning of 21^st May they resumed their journey. After travelling for 100 kms the hill area started. As compared to the previous day’s 50 degrees, the temperature sharply skidded to less than 10 degree Centigrade. On the mountain roads they travelled for 200kms and by evening reached Srinagar, the Capital city of Kashmir. It is a city with the most scenic beauty. It is the place where many Hindi movie songs were shoot over the past 65 years showing hero and heroine dancing to the popular Bollywood songs. At the check-in point to the city the Indian Army personnel hedged them. They enquired about the motive of so many people riding bikes. They checked the identity proofs of every individual of this gang. The army personnel told, there is some social unrest in the city. This Bullet gang was directed to check into any hotel and not to roam on the streets at night. By the way neither Akash nor his gang members had left with any energy in their mortal body even to lift their eyelids. After checking in to the hotel they fell on the bed as if dead bodies.

On Day-3 this Royal Enfield gang traveled a distance of another 250kms from Srinagar to Kargil via Sonemarg and Zojila Pass. This road is considered to be the world’s toughest road to travel because of the steep mountains. Entire stretch of the root was lashed with rains and the road was converted to sludge.  

On Day-4 they traveled a length of another 210kms through the world’s highest cold desert. Until here the road was in good condition as it has been well maintained by Border Road Organisation (BRO). 

On reaching Leh they were completely exhausted and wanted to take a brake for a day to nurture their physical bodies. On Day-6 they headed for Pangong lake. It is a place with no human habitation. They had to dig the earth to fix the tents on open sky to spend the night. On Day-7 they reached Nubra valley crossing through sand dunes. On Day-8 they headed for Khardung La pass. It is the world’s highest motor able road at the height of 18,380 feets. Few of them encountered difficulty to respire due to lack of oxygen. Despite encountering numerous physical odds, their spirit was soaring high while looking at the magnificent mountain peaks of Himalayas. By evening they reached Leh.

On Day-9 they ride 230kms to reach Sarchu. Overnight they stayed in a rented tent where the temperature was -17 Degree Celsius. On Day-10 they headed for Manali via Bara-lacha Pass. Let how farther one goes, as if a bird he had to return home before the sun set. And the heart of Akash was throbbing to return home at the earliest, so as he could cuddle and play with his eleven months old baby boy Rajveer. 

kiranbima@gmail.com

E.Kiran Mohan (The Writer)

C/o.Dr.E.R.Rao (MD)

Tehsil Chowk,

At/PO. BARPALI – 768 029

Dist. Bargarh, Orissa, India

Cell # 91-99-371-20565