For the Assamese version,
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Wow ! Its Bicycle, Bicycle Everywhere
Cycling in Dutch
Ethos
“Mon Hira Doi saikel nohoi tilinga” – so goes an old
beautiful Assamese song in the lips of Biju Phukan, one of the most beloved
actors from the land of blue hills and red rivers. Phukan goes on cycling while
singing this song in the movie ‘Buwari’. The song resonates in my mind even
today. There is a reason. For, I live in the Netherlands.
Once upon a time, we used to cycle a lot in Assam. It was quite
common for many of my grandfather’s friends to cycle 10-15 miles daily to go to
work. My father, uncles too have used bicycle as the main mode of daily
transport. During our school days, bicycles were our friends. Sit on the saddle
and hit the pedal – it would take you wherever you want. As time passed by,
scooters, motor cycles, cars came in. Bicycles took back seat. And along with
that, a nice and easy environment friendly way of having some exercise also
almost vanished.
But this did not happen in the Netherlands. Motor cycles,
cars came but Dutch folks never abandoned bicycles. It gives a different kind
of joy when I see today suited and booted Dutch people cycling around me. In
short, the bicycle has become part of Dutch ethos. The spontaneous smiles and
the brightness in their eyes when they see a foreigner like me cycling, easily
show how close this two wheeler is to them. I think you have already seen the
pictures of the Dutch Prime Minister going on bicycle to meet the king. They
convey a lot about this small country with a huge presence in the international
arena. Even our Indian Prime Minister Modi rode on bicycle when he was here.
Opportunities for
exercise and meditation abound – Give a feeling profound
Year 1890 – around 130 years back. The Netherlands already
started building dedicated cycle paths back then. Today, in the Netherlands,
wherever you go – the beautiful red cycle paths follow, as if arteries carrying
pure blood in the body. Yes, these roads really purify blood ! Bicycle is the
primary mode of daily commuting for almost 40% of the Dutch population. It is
not alien to the remaining 60% also. Then just imagine how healthy the country
is !
Surroundings of many of these cycle paths are elegantly
natural. They remind you of great paintings of eminent painters. Have a look
yourselves below – on the left is a cycle path and on the right is the famous
1864 painting “The Road from Chailly to Fontainebleau” by Claude Monet.
Besides the astounding infrastructure for cycling, the road
rules pleasantly give preference to people on bicycles. When the cars yield to
bicycles, it’s a treat to my Indian eyes. Cyclists are kings and queens here !
I always longed for some physical exercise. But the busy
schedules would not leave any room for that. Here in the Netherlands, life is
equally busy (Work-life balance is better here but mind you, you need to do all
household chores by yourself – no domestic help J)
but I go to work on bikes (and bike here means bicyles and not motor bikes J) two to three times a
week which gives me around 80 km of cycling. My 12 year old cycles 50km a week.
Hearing about these cycling adventures of ours, one of our beloved relative
almost got overwhelmed with grief! People
with three cars in Bangalore are now down to bikes and that too without motors!
Good Lord!! I have two cars even here
but they cars cannot give me the happiness that I get from my bicycle.
I used to cycle a lot by the side of Morikolong (Morikolong
is a three to four km long waterbody in my village, also by the name
Morikolong) in my childhood. It was a pleasure cycling then because motor
vehicles were not at the level of becoming a nuisance. Now, in Eindhoven, when
I cycle by the side of Beatrix canal, my mind flies back 30 years. The pristine
environment gives a feeling of meditation. Very rarely, cars on the road above
honk. I feel irritated. Who dared breaking my rumination! In the next very moment, though, I remind
myself that till a few years back, I was in Bangalore, where honking was
integral part of commuting!
Walking down
memory lane
When I was a child, my dad would take me on his bicycle and
we would go places. These memories almost faded away. As I have been
re-connecting with the motor less two wheeler, they are coming back to mind
more vividly. After work, I pick up my little one from after-school care and we
both head home. One stretch of the road there is through a mini jungle without
any street lights like our Morikolong road of yesteryears. My daughter would hum
something because of the fun of the bicycle ride. Then, I don’t walk down
memory lane - I sprint. I see my dad cycle. I see a happy child in the front.
That is me !
Simplicity is the
ultimate sophistication
“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” - said Leonardo Da Vinci. And now, we are
running after complexity in the name of progress. But when I stop in the
traffic signal in front of our office with my bike (motor less of course), on one
side I see a field with horses grazing and ducks in a pond nearby and on the
other side, there is our office where once inventions like CD and DVD were made
and even today, many hi-tech researches are ongoing. This at least gives a ray
of hope that in order to move ahead in life, one need not detach oneself from one’s
roots. Co-existence of time tested valuable ‘old’ and promising and exciting
‘new’ is a possibility. At least, people here are trying to do so. The cycling
culture is a representative of this thought process. If the Dutch can, we can
too.
Pedal mari mari mari mari mari mari …
Things change with time. ‘Mon Hiradoi’ is now replaced by
‘Pedal mari mari’ (Yes, this Assamese song has almost seven million views on
YouTube, let alone other media). Wind of change has penetrated people’s minds
too. Like in many parts in India, cycling is slowly becoming popular again in
different places in Assam at least as a weekend relaxation. We need to unite
these efforts. We need to bring bicycles back to our daily lives.
Come lets
cycle !
