New disovery of india

What is it like to cycle across the country, covering 13 states and diverse terrain, ranging from the flat Gangetic plains to the sharp inclines of the Western Ghats and the gentle coastline?

In a word, “Blissful,” says Devanshu Shivnani, the Delhi-based management student who cycled 6,000 kilometres across India.

Covering the Golden Quadrilateral Highway that connects Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai, he took 19 days and 22.5 hours.

The feat may earn him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, as he claims to have broken the previous Guinness record, held by New Zealander Tim Chittock.

A healthy regimen

Shivnani says: “I picked up cycling to maintain a good fitness regimen a couple of years ago. I have never liked gyms and found that cycling is a great tool to exercise and stay fit. I could cover about 40 kilometres every day. In December last year, I participated in a cycling competition from Delhi to Panipat and managed to cover about 350 kilometres without any problems. After my father passed away in November following a long illness, I took to cycling as a coping mechanism. I began thinking about attempting to cover the Golden Quadrilateral on a cycle. I wanted to break the world record as a tribute to my father. I see cycling as a meditative process.”

By way of preparation, Shivnani chose to ride on the outskirts of Delhi. “I began by covering about 50 kilometres on my bike on a daily basis. Soon, I could do upwards of 150 kilometres and decided to give the world record a try. Apart from cycling, I also maintained a strict diet.” He practised yoga too, to maintain peak fitness. After all, the trip involved cycling for more than 18 hours a day and “I did not want to leave anything to chance.”

On March 5, Shivnani set out on his trip, armed with a collection of snickers and energy bars, noodles and oats, and cycling equipment. His crew that followed him in a car included his friend, Divam Anand; a driver, Sanjay; and a masseuse, Munna.

“I was on the Lapierre SL 500, a model that was used by the French cycling team, FDJ, in the Tour de France.” He adds: “After the initial stretch, we did not stay in hotels. We slept on platforms, by the sides of the highway and in dhabas. I faced more than 32 punctures on the journey. Despite these hassles, I had a lot of fun. It was a meditative experience. I hope our cities become more cycling-friendly.”

The start

The stretch from Delhi to Mumbai was fairly smooth. “The terrain was flat and similar to the places I had practised on. The roads were excellent. We did not face any major hassles and reached Mumbai with time to spare.”

It was when the trio left Mumbai, that the ride became tough.

“We were not allowed to get on the Pune Expressway and had to take the detour via Lonavala. The inclines were massive and I was forced to push the cycle a fair distance, without my shoes. Tailwinds made things worse and we even considered stopping the ride for a while. We were relieved when we reached Pune.”

The ghats catch up

If Shivnani thought that the worst was behind him, he was mistaken. “The ride to Kolhapur was perhaps the worst day of the trip. We faced huge inclines, steep descents, tailwinds and side winds that made cycling virtually impossible. I also had to deal with a few punctures along the way. I remember thinking that I had not prepared for this. However, normalcy prevailed once we crossed the Ghats section.”

The long stretch of highway from Bengaluru to Chennai was the most comfortable. “I felt like an athlete and was having fun. The fact that half the journey was done was a factor as well. The roads were smooth and straight, the inclines negotiable and it was one of the best phases of the trip.”

Up the Eastern seafront

From Chennai, the team stuck to the East coast. “The ride was beautiful. The sea was always by our side and the breeze was really helpful. However, once we entered Odisha and were near Cuttack, we found it difficult to find a roadside place to grab some food. I began to tire easily and felt that I would not be able to meet my deadline. From being the athlete on the Bengaluru-Chennai stretch, I was transformed into a bag of bones on this stretch, since we lacked good nourishment. I was rather depressed, but then decided to give it a serious shot. I woke up on my birthday and began riding early. That was one of the best days for me, because I covered a lot of distance and made up for a lot of lost time. We began taking fewer stops and I crossed the 400-kilometre mark in a single day. We stopped only when I could not carry on any more. I was thrilled when I reached Kolkata. I spent three days recovering from the ride. It was a great experience and I enjoyed it a lot,” reveals Shivnani.