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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 !