Finding Delhi, on two wheels

Ganesh Vaidyanathan, a Master Card executive from Gurgaon was keenly watching his son negotiate the onlookers at the Chandni Chowk main road on Sunday morning.

Ganesh Vaidyanathan, a Master Card executive from Gurgaon was keenly watching his son negotiate the onlookers at the Chandni Chowk main road on Sunday morning.

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“Watch the right side, beta. Don’t bump into pedestrians," he said as eight-year-old Aayush pedaled his way to reach the next assembly point on the ‘Heritage Cycle Ride’.

“It is an opportunity to know Delhi, which otherwise, we would not get in this form,” the cycling enthusiast said. He was one of the dozen-odd cycle enthusiasts from Gurgaon’s ‘Pedal Yatri’ who had cycled all the way from the satellite town to join the event.

The 10-km-long Heritage Cycle Ride was organised by the Delhi Cycle Club (DCC), a non-profit group, to spread awareness about benefits of cycling and about the Mughal era monuments in Shahjahanabad.

The DCC had tied up with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) for the ride.

INTACH volunteer Jaya Basera explained the importance of various monuments and places of historical significance along the way.

The organisers had a tough time managing the group and keeping them together. Admitting the chaos, Nalin Sinha of DCC said, “This appears slightly disorganised, but it’s due to the overwhelming response. We were expecting around 25 people, but over 60 participants turned up.”

Among the key monuments of historical significance covered were Khooni Darwaza, Dilli Gate, Jama Masjid, Gauri Shankar Mandir, Begum Samru Ki Kothi, Gurudwara Shishganj, Sunehari Masjid, Fatehpuri Masjid, Town Hall and Ferozshah Kotla.