The Return of the Bicycle
The bicycle has occupied an important place in my life.
In Dharwad, in Karnataka, where we lived for many years, I went to school in a “tonga” with four pretty looking Saraswat girls who lived in the house next door. It was a bit of a squeeze, with three of them sitting behind and one of them, Prema Sirur sitting next to me in front with a sweat-exuding “tongawalla” who mercilessly whipped the emaciated horse.
At that time and age I did not enjoy being squeezed between the “tongawalla” and a pretty Saraswat girl. So a few months later, I decided to go to school on a borrowed bicycle.
It was an enjoyable experience being in control, feeling the freshness of the wind in my face and able to show off with the old stunt “Hey guys, look no hands.”
It took me many years to own my own bicycle. I bought it with the first salary from my summer holiday job as a Rationing Inspector. It was a “Raleigh” a famous name in bicycles in those days.
It took me places and it took me faster than the “tongas” and it was romantic. Innumerable are the women who took a ride on the cycle bar including my pint-sized mother who agreed to be dropped for Mass as the tongawallas were celebrating “Id”
She said it was the first and last time. Not so the girls from my college who were thrilled as the bicycle tore down the slope from the college past the All India Radio Station towards Kelgeri lake and, despite the sudden braking or perhaps because of it, never volunteered to sit behind on the butt-snapping carrier.
In the meanwhile I enjoyed the jasmine scented ride as the tresses of my bar-riders flew into my face.
The bicycle was I believe the precursor of the Lambretta scooter that drove Roman couples to ecstasy on wheels. The wheel was reinvented one more time.
On one of my vacations to Dharwad from the Indian Air Force I met the Police Superintendent of Dharwad district. He invited me to play for the Police Hockey team which I enjoyed, and we became really close friends.
One day I had to visit an old classmate from Hubli, 12 miles away. Half an hour by the local train. Wanting to impress her I asked my friend if I could borrow his car. Turning down offers of his constables taking me to Hubli in a jeep, I agreed that a constable would ride with me as I drove the Police Superintendent’s Ambassador car.
On the way back from Hubli a cow suddenly crossed the road. In my panic to avoid the cow I drove to the extreme end of the road and hit a cyclist. An old farmer wearing a dhoti. By the time I had brought the car to a stop the cycle looked like an “avant garde” sculpture by Salvador Dali.
Luckily the cyclist had not been run over. As I got down I witnessed a scene I will never forget in my life. The policeman had jumped out of my car and was beating the cyclist to pulp.
I intervened, and was happy to discover that the only injuries to the cyclist were from the blows of the policeman’s “lathi”.
We took the old farmer for some First Aid treatment and I gave him money to buy a new cycle much against the wishes of the policeman whose mantra was that no body should have the gumption to come in front of his Saheb’s car.
A few years ago when I moved to the suburbs of Bandra and saw friends of all ages, including elderly nuns and pregnant mothers, cycling away to wherever they were going and I overcame my allergy to bicycles and my fear of policemen who were integrating themselves into our Citizen’s movements.
In fact only a month ago my grandchildren who have picked up cycling skills on their vacations in Goa wanted to go bike riding in Bandra.
I took them to a shop not far from where we live and bought them a brand new shiny blue bike and have grown ten years younger seeing their tresses blowing in the wind as they ride the curves in our local park.
And now Bangalore and Ahmedabad. And bicycles with bombs becoming the permanent and most repulsive face of terror.
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:23 am
[...] George Menezes is shocked to see bicycles being used as the face of terror. This takes him to his good old days of cycling. [Hat tip:Rishikesh M] In Dharwad, in Karnataka, where we lived for many years, I [...]
August 3rd, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Interesting read.
Sad that cycle is the new face of terror. :(
-Nikhil
August 4th, 2008 at 12:17 am
Made a nice read…
August 4th, 2008 at 7:27 am
Being someone who cycles (almost) every day, it was great to read this! And Raleigh is still quite a big name these days too!
August 9th, 2008 at 3:07 am
Nice one George. Believe it or not, our son Warren, after debating for weeks on buying a car or a mo-bike, and getting on my nerves in the bargain, goes out and buys a Raleigh cycle to my utter surprise, to ride himself to work… and am I happy for it…or what!! Sadly, no double-bar seating allowed now. Whats good about it is that theres no `parking space prob`, but nowadays, just the fear of some radical taping explosives to it.
August 9th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Great “green” decision. I wish I could ride a bike to do my daily shopping.
Don’t know if I could bring home the dozen eggs the old girl wants. More fragile than the women double-riding on the bar. Tell Warren to try the carrier or the handle
George
August 9th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Desi Pandit
Sounds like you lived in Dharwad. Drarwad produced its quota of geniuses, Girish Karnad…… and cranks like yours truly
George
August 9th, 2008 at 7:41 am
To
Nikhil, Shrinidhi and Abhi
Thanks for your comments
August 12th, 2008 at 2:41 am
Dear George,
Loved the bicycle piece! Dharwad is built on seven hills and so the ‘up the valley and down the dale’ rides were thrilling. After the tonga, and before the scootie, came the Dumni- meant for eight kids.Drawn by the same scrawny horse. Ada and I rode in one. I would have given a million bucks to see you take Mae to Church on a bicycle. In those days she was young and beautiful. She grew roses and took pictures of buffaloes being bathed in a dirty lake with a Kodak Box camera Pae had gifted her.
Francis
August 12th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Nice to get feedback, specially from you.
Writing about Drarwad always brings back memories of Dharwad’s own saint and mother…our Mae
George
August 21st, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Hello,
Loved the article. It reminded me a lot of my cycling days in Bandra - to the local corner shop and groceries, tutions, early morning cycle rides in summer etc. If im not mistaken, my first ‘big’ cycle was a ‘Raleigh’, inherited from my dad, which was later stolen from the building parking lot.
Cheers!
August 25th, 2008 at 8:11 pm
Great one George! Your article took me back to the good old days. It was my dad’s Raleigh made in Great Britain hung on a wall in the garage along with coconuts. I dismantled, painted and back on the road. It carried me to school, picnics, inter village sightseeing etc. Unfortunately one fine morning it just disappeared. “OH HOW I LOVED THOSE DAYS”
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:14 am
Hi fernando and Marisa
Just back from visiting my daughter in London. The Raleigh bicycle is still the rage. There are versions that can be folded and carried in your car, in a train. Beautiful when it is unfolded like a flower in bloom.
Unfortunately some of the girls whom I gave a lift in the old days and living in London, are suffering from Parkinsons, in wheelchairs or living on Government dole.
Thecla and and I praise the Lord for his gifts to us of good heath and gentle ageing
George
September 12th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Dear George
Your Bicycle reminds me my encounter with you many years ago at Bombay Central ST Bus Stand while waiting for inordinately delayed ST bus from Panchgani bringing your and my daughter Meena from St Joseph Convent.
I recall we had very interesting chat during long wait including cup of tea at road side restaurant.I wonder,if you remember.
My father was very fond of reading centre piece in TOI editorial page and we he would always read your piece loudly and laugh and make us laugh.
Your narration,he would say,is like naturaly flowing river-simply enjoyable.
I always tried to copy your style of writing and write as when I am in nostalgic mode.One such small piece title “Berthdays”written to my girl friend July 1990, in reply to her Birthday card,I would like to share on your Website.Pls let me know whether it is possible.
Regards
Krishna Gupta
September 13th, 2008 at 8:50 am
Dear Krishna
Bless the Internet. I remember you as if it was yesterday. It is a pity that we meet people, like them very much, and then sadly never keep in touch.
Do post your article “Berthdays” as comment on this website. Others can also read and appreciate it.
Sending you an Email separately to catch up on what our daughters are doing
Thanks
George
September 19th, 2008 at 3:51 am
Hi George !
Reading your article reminded me of my Hercules Cycle my Dad bought for me when i was 10yrs from a Chimbai shop for Rs.100/- (second hand) but in top condition. It was my first ‘adult bike’ and my feet couldnt touch the ground so i would sit on the bar instead of the seat. I practiced on my own around St.Francis /Andrews/Dominic block and all my friends /neigbhours took turns. I later went further to hill road and pali and then to Mahim church on what i thought was my mobike. I enjoyed taking my girlfriends for rides to bandstand, down mt.Mary slope and carter road. I loved to do errands for the family and neigbhours only because i had the chance to take my bike out for a run. One day i left it outside Yacht restaurant for an entire day and came back walking home. thank God it was still there. My biggest adventure on the bike was when I along with Reynold Dsilva from Silvery dee cycled in heavy rain to Convent of Jesus & Mary in Byculla to meet a girl I liked. I parked the bike into the parking slot and marched straight into the classroom telling the teacher i cycled all the way from bandra and had an important message for Anna. My cycle helped me in my escapades, my school cycle race, dodge cycle etc. ( do they have it anymore?). I used to go to New Talkies movies (now Globus) and park it outside without locking it. The ticket was Re.1 only and the bike was not worth robbing. WE used to turn it upside down and with the pedal sharpen Momma’s knives on the wheels. Finally , one early morning i found it missing from my cottage balcony. Along with it - my new house-boy who joined the previous day was also missing. How I miss my Hercules Motorbike!
September 19th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Thanks Glen. Dont know how you have the time to visit my website
Very vivid account of your escapades Unlocked bike in Bandra NOT stolen.
The girls we carried on the bar wer “Bombs” too.
George
September 23rd, 2008 at 1:28 am
Dear U. George,
Excellent piece. You have mined a very rich vein here as is evident from the comments. I have often been struck at how good you are at these kinds of pieces, I mean really good.
Kudos also for the success of this blog, which has surely exceeded all expectations.
For evidence, please look again at the first comment in this thread, which is not a comment but rather a record that your post has been linked for the attention of the (considerable number of) readers of DesiPundit, which is a kind of filter blog/website that brings interesting items from across the attention to a dedicated (and large) audience.
In effect, this post on bicycles has been anthologized and re-presented to a much larger audience on the Internet. If you look at your traffic data, it’s sure to show a dramatic spike.
For what it is worth, this “viral” recognition is what blogs and blogging is about, and what individual bloggers aim for. You have thus achieved unexpected and real success as a writer in yet another publishing medium. Allow me to be the first to congratulate you!
VM
September 23rd, 2008 at 2:11 am
Dear Vivek
You made my day
Tell you something, I never suffered from depression in my life of almost 80 years
But recently I was really struggling to get my really good pieces published by the Times of India. Especialyy pieces where I have a serious point to make about the chaos around us. When this happens it is good to hear how many people are reading my pieces on the website and blogs.
Shall post my latest piece on Perescution and the crisis in the Church
Thanks so much for your encuragement
George
October 3rd, 2008 at 9:55 am
Aah ! Bicycles … The ‘Saicul’ of ancient Goa Goa, more like it.
The village family doctor (late Dr. Silverio D’Sousa of Nachinola, ex MLA of Aldona Bandodkar’s time) once needed the patient to have a quick doze of the compounder mixture from the pharmacy in Aldona. The neigbour Jose volunteered to go get the medicine. ‘Veguim adtai mhure? Saiculin voch’ was what the doc said. [ get it fast, go by bicycle) So our Jose goes to the trouble of hiring a saicul from Dattaram's shop, walks/run with it to Aldona and back. Doctor - 'Kitlo ugot rhe? Saiculin voch mhun sangullem mhure tuka. [ how come it took you so long? told you to bike it down] Jose - Saiculuch velli dotor. [ did just that, doc]
Jose never knew the intricacies of riding a saicul in his entire life. He was the perfect village idiot. God rest his soul.
I can never forget how I learnt to balance the bicycle. My mother had purchased a second-hand bicycle for my brother to track it down daily to St. Britto’s in Mapusa. The bike had a puncture and therefore at home for the day. I saw to it that I destroyed all the good spoons in the house to remove the puncture, which remained in place just enough so that I could go round and round in the hall on one leg trying to balance it. Later in the day, the tell tale tyre-marks in the hall fetched me a beating twice over, one from my brother for perfectly destroying the tyre rim, and two, from my mother for the decimation of the set of spoons.
floriano lobo
Moira.
December 10th, 2008 at 12:51 am
Lovely piece. Tickled the funny bone- and the nostalgic one as well. In these troubled times, I’d like to laugh as much as cry. In the spasms of laughter we suddenly remember our shared humanity.
December 11th, 2008 at 12:18 am
Dear David and Selma
I never dreamt when I launched my website that I would be united to long, lost persons we love.
We have been crying so much these days for people destroyed by hate that we have forgotten what a thin line separates tears from laughter.
Thank you for remining me
February 7th, 2010 at 1:58 am
I love what you guys are always up too. Such clever work and reporting! Keep up the great works guys I’ve added you guys to my blogroll. This is a great article thanks for sharing this informative information.. I will visit your blog regularly for some latest post.:)
February 7th, 2010 at 9:24 am
Just wanted to say “thanks”
Appreciate your visiting my Website