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RAGHURAMAN AND HIS BICYCLE

The first exposition of Mr.RAGHURAMAN to a bicycle was as a boy of 2 years old when his right index finger was badly entangled between the chain and free wheel of his father’s cycle at NAGAPATTINAM. A small crowd of his parents and neighbors were in that agonizing scene when his finger was retrieved after a full throated cry and shedding of some blood from that youngster. Even today he carries that wound mark to be added with a few more to it in his latter years in his attempt to master this 2 wheeler. His thirst to handle the invention during the year of 1830 was so persistent his father had to suspend it from the ceiling by a rope when it was on rest. At the age of five thanks to his friendly neighbor he could merrily ride on a tricycle. There were those days when bicycles to cater the need or taste of youngsters had not reached the market at least in INDIA and one had to wait until he reaches the height to handle a normal bicycle. However youngsters used to try monkey pedaling as initial lessons to the balancing act. But that demanded some skill and courage and the risk of crashing and getting injury was very much there. This timid boy of RAGHU was lacking in that adventure and also the repeated parental pressure prevented him to learn the art of cycle in younger days. Subsequently some other developments in his family made him compulsively stay in a village making him an odd man not knowing cycling even at the age of 19. Whenever he was on the road meeting in his track with a bicycle from the opposite direction he used to be scarred and move funnily making it evident that he was lacking in the knowledge of cycling.

At last he joined his central govt service at BANGALORE where owning and riding a cycle was more of a necessity than of luxury. Also Raghu’s frequent movements to various places in that city to play his fancy game of TABLE TENNIS made him to realize that he has come to the irrevocable point of learning and owning a bicycle. Though all of his friends loved him for his innocence and talents in indoor games they also used to make fun of him and even teasing him for his weakness in not able to ride a bicycle. MR. RAGHU was not to be cowed down by the treatment by his friends and determined then and there to learn it at the earliest. There was his friend VISWAM who was in acute financial crisis and to overcome that wanted to dispose off his cycle. He found that was the ideal time to sell off his cycle and volunteered to teach him cycling on the condition that after learning Raghu should purchase that cycle from him only on the prefixed price of Rs 125/-. That was a good bargain for Raghu to get the coaching and also the cycle for a reasonable price. But Viswam suggested that for learning purpose it was better to go for a hired to avoid damage to his cycle. Some how by hood winking a cycle shop man they hired a cycle with out giving him any hint for the purpose.

Also the man couldn’t have imagined that his hirer at that advanced age was yet to learn cycling. The lessons were started at the dead of night to avoid traffic and also not to face mockery of youngsters. But the street dogs were giving hell of a trouble forcing them to carry a stick. Mr. Viswam was running behind Raghu shouting to look straight. But as Viswam was a chain smoker it was a challenging task to run wildly in that night panting for breath. At one stage he even repented for committing to teach. Some dogs were chasing the cycle furiously that made Raghu panic and instantly put the break for the front wheel instead of the back that had the effect of toppling the cycle. Though the dogs ran away on seeing this unusual behavior of the cycle and rider landed nastily on the ground, the hit by the handlebar on the hand and knocking of his knee on the hard road caused bloodshed. Mr. Viswam scolded him in the worst language for putting the wrong break forgetting for a moment that he was at fault in not teaching such nuances well before the commencement of training. But to their horror they noticed that the dynamo was damaged if not broken that created problems at the time of return of the cycle for which some amount had to be paid. But on the 3rd day itself Raghu was sailing merrily with out trouble as he was quite tall to avoid further calamities in the bargain of learning. Even a cycle was need of a license in those days on payment of about Rs20/-for a whole year.

During night times dynamo or battery operated lanterns must be used. One day when Raghu was approaching the Mill Corner around Malleswaram on his cycle a police man accosted him and booked him for going abreast with 3 which never happened at all. His arguments had no effect with his cycle unceremoniously dumped in a lorry and vanished in no time. He was given a chit to present himself to a traffic court on the next day to face the judgment. All his friends told him that it was a common scene that happened only during month ends to inflate the cases by police and also advised him to admit the offense then and there and pay the fine and retrieve the cycle failing which the fine would be enhanced. After extensively using the cycle covering a minimum of 15 KM per day for nearly 5 years Mr. Raghu had to move out of Bangalore to Calcutta on changing his job after duly disposing off the cycle with out any loss.

Whenever he was holidaying in CHANNAI his father’s cycle came in handy to visit local places ands also T.T clubs. It was an ENGLISH RALEIGH made in SINGAPORE and has come all the way by ship using his father’s special privilege as a customs officer. It will capture the attention of any body for its uniqueness in design, color and extra provisions. It was provided with hub break for both wheels with rim and spoke coated with permanent silvery color. The chain guard was of special design and the cycle itself was sturdy and heavy. The most attractive aspect was the coded lock that didn’t require any key.

Mr. Raghu fulfilled his ambition of transporting it all the way from CHENNAI to CALCUTTA by train to use it extensively at the twin cities of HOWRAH and CALCUTTA. He was enjoying the feeling of owning a ROLLS ROYCE. He had his own share of mishaps and adventures with his priceless possession at this city. When he was cycling near LOWER CIRCULAR ROAD in the vicinity of SEALDAH a novice driver of a taxi brushed him precariously and but for his jumping off the seat on the platform he might have lost his limbs or even life. His cycle was damaged to a great extent inviting the attention of local goondas to seize the driver and abused the mishap to extract money from him. But nothing was passed on to our friend who had to spend a sizeable amount to bring back the cycle to its original shape. When he was taking tea from a road side shop leaving his cycle at a distance valiant attempt was made to break the coded lock of his cycle. Many times he had braved to cycle the whole distance from SANTHRAGACHI to HOWRAH and to CALCUTTA for a distance of more than 25 KM.

At last when Raghu got his retirement and moved back to CHENNAI for reappointment in a private firm his cycle followed him faithfully like a lifelong companion. At last the day came when MR. RAGHURAMAN had to call it a day and take permanent retirement from services. His cycle had served 3 generations starting from his father and ending to his son when he was also using it during his school days. But he is unable to find a successor for his cycle as his son; and grandsons are having bikes and cars with little interest to his much cherished bicycle. At last he found the able successor of his cycle who will love, respect and also maintain it as it was done all these 50 years. He is no other than his personal guard by name MURUGAN who was not only in need of it but also cannot afford to acquire a cycle by paying money. But on that day Mr.RAGHURAMAN was emotionally disturbed and felt the same feeling of marrying off his daughter.

Even now Mr. Raghu is frequently enquiring that boy MURUGAN about the condition of his long lasted companion.

BY J.PANCHAPAGESAN FLAT-11,130 GILL NAGAR EXTN STREET CHOOLAIMEDU CHENNAI PH-044 23744963 EMAIL id- jpanchapagesan@yahoo.co.in