Going the distance to capture cultures

Panaji: When people told her she was too weak to undertake a solo journey across the country on her motorcycle, 26-year-old Radhika Rao from Chennai began working out, putting on a good 10kg in three months.

When they told the freelance photographer she wouldn't be able to protect herself, she enrolled herself for boxing and self-defence classes.

Not a regular biker, she trained a good 3,000km to prepare herself to ride through 29 states and five union territories. She bought a Bajaj Avenger 220 in January and was on the road in April, capturing cultures, people and landscapes, for a pan-India photo documentary.

After completing 25,000km, she is now passing through Goa, her 27th state. "I've never felt away from home. People have been pampering me all along the way," says Rao, a follower of the Buddhist philosophy who is also spreading messages of peace and love during her trip.

She braved a bout of dengue in Jaipur when she was hospitalized. Her family and friends told her that she had achieved enough and that it was time to return but she was determined. It took every last ounce of courage and strength for her to continue her trip with her aching back. She relies heavily on yoga and dry fruits to keep her strong, avoiding spicy and oily food during her journey.

Rao rides during the day, from 6am to 6pm when she covers anything between 200-500km and is expected to complete her round trip by next month.

On Tuesday she shared her myriad experiences with college students. She missed the Amarnath yatra tragedy by a week. Three days after she sat down for a chat with RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, he was arrested. When staying with the Indo-Tibetan border force, she even got a glimpse of the Tibetan spiritual leader—Dalai Lama.

Sikkim and Mizoram win hands down as the best states in terms of road quality and discipline while she admits she had bad on-road experiences in Kolkata, Patna and UP.

In Kolkata, the last thing she expected when she was riding at 40kmph, on the extreme left lane, was to be hit by a speeding ambulance. But it's all part of the adventure, she says.

Bikers didn't take her seriously when she expressed her desire to set out on this trip. "They realised I was serious only after I crossed Leh," she beams proudly.