With a number of adventures already under her belt, and thousands of
kilometres travelled, Pooja Rajput, Naval lieutenant commander and solo biker
extraordinaire, has just wrapped up yet another bike trip, covering 2000
kilometres plus, along the Indian coastline.
She was part of a larger group of ten
naval officers, she being the only woman among them, who had undertaken the
coastal journey for the dual purpose of coastal security and educating the
locals about the importance of maritime security.
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Originally from Agra, and an avid rider
for the last 18 years, Pooja has been in the limelight in Goa off late, for her
solo ride on her Harley Davidson in April this year, also a 2000 kilometre-long
ride, that took her from Goa, to Mangalore, Coorg, Muzhappilangad, Ooty,
Coonoor, Calicut, Moodabidri, and Karwar – a trip that she undertook to spread
a message in favour of women empowerment, and to judge the safety of women
riding solo through the country. “I recommend that women take up travel in
India without pre-conceived notions. If more women travel, than we will ensure
that each woman will meet a number of others along the way, thereby making it
safer and more viable,” says Pooja. She has also been known for her
participation in the ‘One Day One Ride’ initiative that united the biker
community here in Goa, and for her role in leading role in a Goa bike rally for
Women’s Day back in March.
This time, trading in her trustee Harley,
that has seen her through her previous expeditions, for a Royal Enfield
Himalayan, Pooja joined the group on May 7, 2018, at Goa, often travelling 300
km a day through all kinds of terrain, following the coastal route through
Karwar, Mangalore, Ezhimala, Kochi, Kanyakumari, Rameshwaram, Karaikal, and
finally touching down at Puducherry.
The stops along the way included various
sites of importance in terms of India’s maritime heritage – these include Fort
Aguada, here in Goa, Mt Dilli, Pyannur town, the lighthouse at Kovalam,
Kanyakumari at the tip of the Indian peninsula, and the “ghost town”
Dhanushkodi, an abandoned town in Tamil Nadu, that was destroyed during the
1964 cyclone. The lighthouses en route were visited to spread maritime
awareness. The naval officers interacted with fishing communities along their
route, they being “the first eye of vigilance in the sea”, as Pooja puts it.
As with any trip of such magnitude, it was
not without its challenges – from roads messed up by construction, heavy
traffic and less road-discipline among pedestrians and drivers alike, to
unpredictable weather, sometimes swelteringly hot and at other times stormy, to
even the occasional puncture! Pooja says, “Being the only women rider in the
group my capabilities were put to test in the humid and hot weather. The
biggest challenge faced was the hot weather and the traffic in the state of
Kerala.” “In some situations, it’s not your fault – others on the road can put
you in trouble too. One needs to be vigilant on the road, especially in the
hills,” she adds.
However, as Pooja herself puts it, the experience and feeling
that riding gives her makes up for any hardships that might befall her along
the way. “The ride till Land’s End-Dhanushkodi and Pamban Bridge was a
memorable one, as we passed through roads which had the Bay of Bengal on one
side and the Indian Ocean on the other. The ride through the picturesque
Kanyakumari till Rameshwaram was beyond any words, with the wind turbines
numbering in thousands on either side of the road keeping us cool,” she says.
“Many times I am asked why I ride – to which I reply, that it
not only gives me opportunities to photograph unknown places, to interact with
the locals, and learn about their culture, but it also helps me connect with my
inner soul, giving me a clear vision, which in turn helps me focus on my work
better,” she says in conclusion.
Going
by the philosophy ‘If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine – it’s
lethal!’ Pooja clearly has no intention of slowing down anytime soon. She has
by now already completed her next, equally ambitious expedition, which has
taken her this time all the way to the country of Bhutan! Teaming up with her
husband Yogesh Bisht, the couple rode two Indian scout motorcycles, from Delhi
to the “Land of the Thunder Dragon”, on the India-Bhutan Friendship Expedition,
covering a total distance of almost 4000 kilometres!
