Are you a young biking enthusiast with a penchant for culture and heritage? The Bengal Heritage Ride is probably the best fit for you. Organised by the Biking Community of India (BCI), Bengal Chapter, the one-day ride on November 28 will take you on a trip to Kenduli, the supposed birthplace of Sanskrit poet Jayadeva who penned the Geet Govinda.
The ride, coordinated by Retd Col Sanjay Ghosh, will commemorate the UNESCO World Heritage Week as well. "We will start our ride from just outside Kolkata — from the Dankuni Toll Plaza — and ride to Kenduli where the terracotta temple of Jayadeva or Joydeb still stands. It was here that the Geet Govinda was written by Joydeb, ably supported by his wife. The small village is replete with dated relics that connect Geet Govinda to the cultural heritage of Bengal," said Col Ghosh. The retired Colonel of the Indian Army was on the lookout for sponsors but didn't find one. "I had a commitment to the bikers who were eager to go for the ride, so I decided to fund this myself. The entire ride will be free of cost — the riders will get Rs 1,000 worth of fuel, three meals and will also be felicitated at the end of the ride. I will be travelling with a support crew as well with basic and medical necessities, keeping safety in mind. I would have loved to ride with the 50 of them though," said an excited Col Ghosh.
The ride, Col Ghosh said, is significant because it is unique in its intent to directly connect the youth of Bengal to their rich historical heritage without any digital filter. It also creates an opportunity for the youth to form an independent opinion of their cultural heritage and factor that in their future endeavours. "We will have 50 riders covering the 370 km stretch. I feel the youth of Bengal needs to connect with the immense heritage that we have. How they interpret that culture is totally up to them. But many of them haven't heard of these aspects of the real origin of the Baul culture," he added.
The ride will start at 7 am and wrap up by 5 pm the same day. "Many of the riders have office to attend and it's only on a Sunday that they are free. We have plans to cover the west bank of the Hooghly first and then move on to the east bank. Post-COVID, we want to ride to Bangladesh next year and ride with our bikers there," he added. BCI has biker groups from across the neighbouring countries as well.
