Journalism of Courage
This is an archive article published on June 17, 2023
Malegaon to Kedarnath: Man travels 1700 kms, in 15 days on a rickety bike
Datta recalls he didn't have a thought-out plan in place when he set out for Kedarnath in Uttarakhand from Malegaon. He left with a bundle containing some utensils, clothes, rice and wood; he donated all the rice in Uttar Pradesh
Datta Suryawanshi at the Kedarnath temple with his bicycle
(Photo : Datta Suryawanshi )
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Malegaon to Kedarnath: Man travels 1700 kms, in 15 days on a rickety bike
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Fifteen days, 1700 kilometers and a rickety bicycle — when Datta Suryavanshi told his friends and family that he wants to travel from Malegaon to Kedarnath, he was met with reluctance from his parents and derisive laughter from his peers.
The 27-year-old fast food employee, however, was not ready to give up on his dream. It took him years to convince his parents and a Rs 15,000 loan by his employer to turn the dream into reality. Braving impossible odds, aches and pains on his journey, Datta recalls how he wept tears of joy after reaching Kedarnath.
Datta recalls he didn’t have a thought-out plan in place when he set out for Kedarnath in Uttarakhand from Malegaon. He left with a bundle containing some utensils, clothes, rice and wood; he donated all the rice in Uttar Pradesh. Speaking about giving the loan to Datta, owner of the restaurant Krishna Shetty says, “He has been working for me from the past 10-12 years and it was my duty to help him. Initially I told him no as I was concerned how he would travel alone, but he requested me a number of times and I acquiesced.” He described Datta as a hardworking and honest person.
When asked why he chose to travel on a bicycle, he said, “Coming from a middle-class background, I could not afford the fuel expenses or the train ticket.” He says he received a lot of help from people on the way, who offered him food, water and a place to stay. He would often sleep in gurudwaras, ashrams and temples.
Journey from Malegaon-Kedarnath
He had his phone and navigated using Google Maps. He started the journey on May 22 and took 15 days to cycle across 1700 kms. He used to cycle from 8 am till 7 pm and had set a target to cover 100 kms per day. The route took him to Malegaon, Dhule, Indore, Devas, Shahajapur, Shivpuri, Gwalior, Agra, Aligarh, Muzaffarnagar, Roorke, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Devprayag, Srinagar and Gaurikund. Illness and body ache was a major problem faced by him during his journey but he was determined to complete the journey at any cost. There were times when Datta faced hurdles but his determination always won.
Datta reached the Kedarnath temple on June 7. “I literally cried for half an hour when I reached the temple. I could not believe I had done the impossible and completed my dream.” People had offered him money on his way for the pilgrimage but he donated the entire amount at the temple. Through his journey, he has set an example of how determination and confidence can win over any odds and plans to visit Kailas Mansarovar next.
Umang Bafna is an intern with the Indian Express web desk
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