PEDAl'ogic for peace

For the longest time, cycling was pegged as a fun activity to keep fit by flexing those muscles. But in the recent times, the concept of pedalling away has seen a sea change – with bottle neck traffic and shoddy roads, nobody really seems to be complaining to take to the saddle.

Interestingly, the idea has also branched out to several effective city-based initiatives – PeaceBy Cycle, an upcoming peace movement by Bornfree Art School & Breathe Entertainment, testifies the same.

The initiative will have city folk hitting the pedal in a bid to promote how they’re all game for peace, in addition to contributing to the construction of the world peace museum from the proceeds of the event. What’s important to note is that there’s an increasingly large number of women cyclists in the city, who’re giving their nod of approval to show they care — by cycling away for a cause! We take a deeper look...  

“As a team, we are all for a culture of peace. Considering this (October 2 to 8) is the joy of giving week, we decided to do something which would count, keeping the vibe of Bengaluru in mind. That’s when a cycling event was zeroed in on, with an intent to bring about a peace movement that literally costs nothing, but brings about an emotion that’s immeasurable in its value,” shares Kishore Joseph, a social activist and director, Breathe Entertainment and one of the main organisers.

The initiative will have an array of designed cycles on display with attached donation boxes to accept contributions. The proceeds of this charitable event would go into the making of Bengaluru’s first world peace museum,” enthuses Kishore.

With just a day left for the event to kick start, the pedalling fervour has already caught up in the city. And this time around, the women folk are equally geared up. Speaking about the same, Archana Sheshagiri, a popular city-based endurance cyclist, reveals, “Cycling has caught up big time. If one observes, a lot of exploration activities and crawls have sprung up. Even the number of people using cycling to commute to work is increasing. So, with something that has gained so much acceptance, it comes as little surprise to see that initiatives run through this sport works. And most importantly, you’re simple never frustrated about moving around the city. I’m glad more women have realised this, and more than anything else, I look at the practice as a way forward.”

Echoing her views along similar lines, Usha Iyer, an educator and participant excitedly adds how, “I believe small drops make a big ocean. It should be a privilege for women to spread a meaningful message across. Through a thoughtful practice like cycling. I am eagerly waiting to see how this goes!” And for Shruthi Kamath, another cycling enthusiast, it is about the message that matters. “In an era of war and attacks, it is necessary that everyone is calm, composed and work towards world peace. I’m truly looking forward to more such joyful rides with meaning,” she says.