Update: cycled for 28 days, approx 1800 kms without money, in Assam.
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Start Date: 23rd March, 2019
Friends,
After some bits of casual planning, I am finally going to share more in detail about embarking on this unique “Cycle Yatra for Peace & Unity” entirely in Assam. The entire yatra is divided into two phases, with the first being upto 800 kms, and the second phase would be approximately upwards of 900 kms, bringing the total route to 1700+ kms. Since the trip is partially planned, it would be difficult to share the exact route on Google maps, particularly Phase-2 for now.
Want to see updates? Do join the FB group or ping me on messenger.
Why this Kolaveri di? Okay, let’s be serious. Why this cycle yatra?
Traveling for me is the shift in personal consciousness, the idea of moving outside to move inside. The cycle yatra is an attempt to go beyond the notion of security, physical limitation and the current notion of privileged volunteerism. Cycling between 50–100 kms everyday would challenge our physical self, however a lot more of our mental strengths would be tested. More often, we just focus on the part of cycling, however the discipline engaged in a daily routine to reach the next point, getting up, morning chores, meeting with people and sharing when asked and last but not the least, ensuring food everyday — particularly when there won’t be any money. This would mostly include living in villages, surviving without money and using minimum 2Ps (phone and photography).
What is the yatra preaching? Is there any political motivation?
We are not trying to preach anything, except the idea that action is certainly more powerful than shouting. We certainly do not have any political motivation and come from various backgrounds including social work. The only thing we ‘wish’ is that there is Peace and Unity in the society.
Will the cycle yatra cover entire Assam / northeast?
Through this post, I also want to address the myth of Assam or northeast being too small to get covered in a flash. Even after cycling over 1700 kms, we would have still not covered entire Assam. Northeast is a very huge geographic region with 8 states and needs a lot of time to understand and move across.
What is the exact distance you are going to cover?
This question is difficult to answer at this stage. In fact we would not be using too much technology even on-the-move, so distance calculation can happen post journey — using the exact places plotted on the map. However, an approximate idea is that it would be somewhere between 1600–1800 kms.
Phase I (23–31 Mar 19)
Chabua (Dist. Dibrugarh) to the ant (Dist. Chirang) — via Sibsagar, Jorhat, Morigaon, Guwahati, Tihu
Phase II (6–20 Apr 19)
the ant to Chabua — via Abhayapuri, Guwahati, Tezpur, Orang, North Lakhimpur, Majuli, Dhemaji
For updates on #assamcycleyatra, please visit here.
