From the Third Seat of a Motorcycle

After my apostolate at the ashramshala at Tilloli, one of the nuns arranged for a parent to drop us (my companion and myself) to a village (Umrale) from which we would subsequently find conveyance. Owing to the remote location of the shala, transport to and fro is difficult, especially traveling from there. Transport from Umrale is more easily available and hence coming to Umrale is a necessity. The problem is, coming to Umrale! There isn’t any transport. Normally the sisters have their driver give the brothers a drop but on this eventful day, a parent volunteered to drop us on his motorcycle.

It’s not that I’ve never ridden triple seat before. I’ve ridden on a couple of occasions. But the though of riding triple seat on winding country roads, which have come undone by neglect, environmental conditions and other factors made me flinch. Nonetheless, without over-thinking, I hopped on the bike. The 8 odd kilometer journey to Umrale wasn’t comfortable but it allowed me the opportunity to take in the verdant countryside and breathe the rustic air. My journey to Tilloli was by bus and hence offered me a very different, more compact experience.


The freedom of the bike and the fear of falling off, kept me aware of myself and the surroundings. As we zoomed over bumps and holes, I realized that the road had acquired the texture of the countryside, with its hills and valleys and overall rough terrain. As much as I enjoyed the ride and the sights, I hated feeling like a ragdoll on the back of an over populated motorcycle. But in a country like ours, with ministers like ours it would be a surprise if things were any better. I’m not very cynical about the state of affairs (after all this is coming from the third seat of a two-seater bike), but I’m hoping that the ‘acche din’ comes soon. Until then I guess its bumpy riding all the way.

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