Learning to Cycle on the Way to Kasauli

One fine morning in the early eighties, my roommate and I planned to visit Kasauli from Chandigarh. The bus was a costly affair for us. Thus, I suggested travelling by bicycle. However, the hitch was that the roommate didn’t know about cycling. We deliberated over the issue and worked out a plan that would entail cycling lessens for the roommate on the way to Kasauli. We already had a cycle and borrowed another one from the neighbour. Barely out of our teens, we were quite excited about the trip.

Thus, begin the odyssey to Kasauli along with cycling lessons for the roommate. I would park my cycle at the roadside and would ask the roommate to sit on the saddle and to place the feet on the paddles of his cycle while I supported it. Once he made himself comfortable, I would gently push the cycle besides supporting it to maintain the balance. I would run after him for some distance and then leave him to cycle on his own.

In the beginning, he could maintain the balance only for a few yards and would invariably fall down. Then, I will park my cycle and will repeat the same sequence again. Gradually, he learned to maintain balance and could ride for a long distance on his own. However, if he lost balance due to some obstacle, he needed my help to ride the cycle again. Eventually, he learned to ride the cycle of his own by the time we crossed Chandimandir. He could learn to cycle on the main road as traffic used to be very scanty during those days.

It was a zigzag ride through the congested and crowded markets of Pinjore and Kalka. We left the Shimla highway at Parwanoo and took the road to Kasauli. To give some rest to our tired limbs, we halted at a tea shop close to a tumbling waterfall for tea at Jangeshu. The brew provided the much-needed energy for the steep ascend ahead.

It was a gruelling drive from Jangeshu to Kasauli. However, the pine covered lush green hills and fresh air impregnated with the fragrance of pine, made the stretch enjoyable. Passing through grassy slopes and terraced fields, we reached Kasauli just as dusk was approaching. The crisp air and alluring surroundings provided a wonderful experience. The majestic devdars bestow unique charm and serenity on Kasauli hills. Most of them are quite old.

Exhausted, we looked for shelter. The hotel was beyond our reach; a gentle soul guided us to Gurudwara. The sewadar at the Gurudwara was kind enough to provide a room for us. We could not sleep for a long-time due to body ache owing to overexertion during the journey.

We woke up early in the morning. The view of mountain ranges, wide-open valleys, scattered villages, distant peaks and network of ridges was fascinating. The rising sun was spreading its crimson glory far and wide. And in the midst of such pleasing settings, it was time for us to make the return journey.

My roommate fully enjoyed the downward trip through the long steep descends. And most of the time he was ahead of me. However, I was happy even in following him as I felt like a teacher who feels proud when his student surpasses him.