Torrential downpour, clashes, stone-pelting, tear gas and an ever-changing climate are what the 27-year-old Dhandapani Venugopal had to face throughout the 13 days and nine hours he spent on the Road from North to South riding his bicycle. He is from North Coimbatore.
In his 4,000 km ride the cause he espoused and his friend and sole companion P. Sathish Kumar are the only motivations that kept his race alive. That not only gave him a chance to attempt a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records, but also inspire many.
Wanting to spread awareness about child abuse and lend voice for a cleaner India, Dhandapani hit the road with his bicycle on the 2nd of October in Kashmir. He was accompanied by Sathish Kumar who rode on a motor bike.
The duo ended the expedition in Kanyakumari on the 15th of October after a tough 13 odd days on the road. The trip has not only created a stir among people as the lad from North Coimbatore is one of the very few to achieve this feat, but also become a life changing experience.
“We knew this was not going to be easy. Though we had everything including the route and staying places pre-planned, there were many obstacles we faced like rain and hostile environment,” he told the SimpliCity.
His training for the record also gave him a place in the India’s World Records as he covered the distance of 6,000 km from Kashmir to Kanyakumari on a motorbike in eight days. He had used this trip to prepare physically and mentally for his biggest trip on the bicycle.
Narrating an incident that happened in Srinagar, Dhandapani explained how he was caught in chaos that broke out instantly. “There was a protest in the area for a local issue. A woman’s hair had been cut and we did not know anything. All of a sudden, the mob started pelting stones at the army personnel in the vicinity and they retaliated by lobbing tear gas shells. We were in the middle of the situation and had to run away. We waited for some time and returned on the same route,” narrated a visibly emotional Dhandapani.
Recalling the hostile climate they faced in Telengana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, he said that almost 2 and half days of the entire trip was filled with rain. “Our schedule was tight and we could not stop anywhere. Rain or shine, we had to keep moving,” he explained.
The duo also met government officials including District Collectors and students during the trip. “We had a chance to meet Sristi, who is attempting to walk from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Anantha Padmanaban who is currently on foot from Kasi to Kerala for the third time. They inspired us a lot,” added Dhandapani.
Their trip was jointly sponsored by the Rotary Club, By Way private limited, Bar Association of Coimbatore and Hullikal.
After having overcome a ligament problem in his leg that posed a threat to his legs, Dhandapani now wants to ride across the the country from Arunachal in the east to Gujarat in the West in the coming months.
In his 4,000 km ride the cause he espoused and his friend and sole companion P. Sathish Kumar are the only motivations that kept his race alive. That not only gave him a chance to attempt a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records, but also inspire many.
Wanting to spread awareness about child abuse and lend voice for a cleaner India, Dhandapani hit the road with his bicycle on the 2nd of October in Kashmir. He was accompanied by Sathish Kumar who rode on a motor bike.
The duo ended the expedition in Kanyakumari on the 15th of October after a tough 13 odd days on the road. The trip has not only created a stir among people as the lad from North Coimbatore is one of the very few to achieve this feat, but also become a life changing experience.
“We knew this was not going to be easy. Though we had everything including the route and staying places pre-planned, there were many obstacles we faced like rain and hostile environment,” he told the SimpliCity.
His training for the record also gave him a place in the India’s World Records as he covered the distance of 6,000 km from Kashmir to Kanyakumari on a motorbike in eight days. He had used this trip to prepare physically and mentally for his biggest trip on the bicycle.
Narrating an incident that happened in Srinagar, Dhandapani explained how he was caught in chaos that broke out instantly. “There was a protest in the area for a local issue. A woman’s hair had been cut and we did not know anything. All of a sudden, the mob started pelting stones at the army personnel in the vicinity and they retaliated by lobbing tear gas shells. We were in the middle of the situation and had to run away. We waited for some time and returned on the same route,” narrated a visibly emotional Dhandapani.
Recalling the hostile climate they faced in Telengana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, he said that almost 2 and half days of the entire trip was filled with rain. “Our schedule was tight and we could not stop anywhere. Rain or shine, we had to keep moving,” he explained.
The duo also met government officials including District Collectors and students during the trip. “We had a chance to meet Sristi, who is attempting to walk from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Anantha Padmanaban who is currently on foot from Kasi to Kerala for the third time. They inspired us a lot,” added Dhandapani.
Their trip was jointly sponsored by the Rotary Club, By Way private limited, Bar Association of Coimbatore and Hullikal.
After having overcome a ligament problem in his leg that posed a threat to his legs, Dhandapani now wants to ride across the the country from Arunachal in the east to Gujarat in the West in the coming months.