Riding the hard way

Mission Possible

Bhausaheb Bhawar from Hasnabad village in Jalna district of Maharashtra, who has been cycling across the country crusading against social evils, was in the City recently convincing people to join hands with him in this mission. 

Bhausaheb and his family members too were victims of dowry menace while looking out for a life-partner for his elder sister.

Troubled by this incident, Bhausaheb decided to integrate people against dowry and female foeticide. This was how his itinerary on bicycle started.

“Cycling is the way I’ve chosen to communicate my ideas. Wherever I am, I make it a point to visit schools and colleges there, address students and interact with people I come across. My message is clear. I request people not to demand dowry and ill-treat women,” he says.

His tour across the country has helped him understand many things from close quarters.

He talks volumes about the Indian media, politics and the varied social structure in different states. “When I started my journey in 1993, because of Babri Masjid demolition, the communal harmony in the country was at stake. So national integration too became my agenda. I felt bad seeing the condition of people in Kashmir and Naxal-infected North-Eastern regions.

Sometimes, I feel our media has failed to act unbiased,” says Bhausaheb, who has a dream of coming up with a book compiling his experiences.

“My first expedition was from 1993 to 2006 when I travelled across the country four times. On my second tour, I travelled through the Southern regions. When I came to Bangalore in 1993, it was entirely a different city with lots of greenery. And people showed great hospitality. Now, everything has become so mechanical. Compared to Northern states, the state of the roads is bad here,” he laments.

Appreciating his efforts, ministers, governors of many states and bureaucrats have given him letters of approbation and lauded his determination.

Bhausaheb is now thinking of taking up a world tour on bicycle but for a different cause. 
“I will be starting my world tour from South-East Asia carrying awareness messages on AIDS and environment. Sometimes, people make fun of my expedition and say that I am doing this for publicity. But only I know how difficult it is to travel alone on a bicycle without proper food and lodging facilities. I am not bothered about what people say as my purpose is good and I won’t stop till I see a positive change,” he signs off.