I CAUGHT THE BIKING BUG: There were not many women bikers in India and the few present were not treated with respect. So I started an all women’s platform to give women a chance to follow their passion with respect. To execute the idea I started a Facebook group which then moved to an all India expedition to Ladakh. Then it turned into active chapters across India. Today, women aged between 18 to 60 from all over the country are members of the group.
YES, IT CAN BE DANGEROUS: Making women realise that motorcycling was fun and possible and that hand holding was not required for us to enjoy riding. The Bikerni became a household term for a woman who rode motorbikes.
BUT I LOVE: Demonstrating women’s power to the people who thought that a woman’s place is on the back seat of a motorcycle. I just like throttling on ahead and not letting them overpower us.
ONE FINE DAY: It was our annual Bikerni get-together and we had decided to meet up in Dandeli forest. The Pune and Mumbai chapter had already reached the jungle camp and we were waiting for Hubli, Bangalore and Chennai girls to reach. It was already past 9 pm. We were quite worried plus there was no network coverage to mobile phone. Somehow we managed to connect to one of the chapter heads and she informed us that there was a breakdown and they could not find the way. So my friend and I loaded up my toolkit and decided to ride 20 kms through the jungle to show them the way. As we were heading out, we heard a voice, “Madam, if you see a huge dark figure in the distance, switch off your headlight, don’t honk and try not to breathe too loudly.” We looked at each other as he told us that it was time for the elephants to walk in the jungle so it would be best to ride as quietly as possible. Those 20 km going there alone and coming back with 20 girls and asking them to ride without revving too much was quite a memory indeed.
I ALWAYS CARRY: My toolkit, first aid kit, a torch and a knife.
HAPPINESS TO ME IS: More rides, more empowerment, more participation in social causes and more members.
Article Source: India Today