Cycling in 4 states on single gear cycle 14: Bhupalpally to Sironcha (62 kms)

✪ Re-entering Maharashtra!

✪ Unbelievable nature and forest

✪ Colossal Godavari and Pranhita

✪ Gadchiroli- Shattering of rumours

✪ Completed 1050 kms in 13 days

✪ End is approaching too quickly

Hello all. 13th day of the expedition, 6th October 2022. Most exciting phase of this travel is coming up. Today I will re-enter in Maharashtra. Importantly, I will enter the tribal and forest region of Maharashtra. It is like entering into unknown. Since many days, there was too much of speculation in the mind about this part. The mind was anxious about the roads, the towns, the connectivity and all. But now I am feeling very calm and composed. Started the ride in the early morning, shared my live location in the cycling group and left. The road till Bhupalpally is very good. Let’s see how it goes henceforth. Yesterday it poured much in the evening, but now there are no signs of the rain. Pleasant weather it is. Quickly I passed the small town of Bhupalpally and now it is all over the forest!

 

 

This is still the National Highway 353 and it will pass through one religious place- Kalleshwaram temple. It is just before Sironcha. So I may have good road. Lush green and dense forest! Very few vehicles on the road! Fortunately, there is not much fog. After some distance, I can see small hillocks near the horizon. What a unique area this is! Chhattisgarh border is also not that far from here. And now I am in the jungle! Groups of monkeys are sitting on the road! I need to be careful not to disturb them! Baby monkeys are getting frightened due to suddenly emerging sound of my wheels! They mostly have not seen many cycles. Wonderful!


Today’s distance was not that long, only 63 kilometers are there. Till the half way, there was proper road. I took a tea and biscuit break at around 35 kms. The road will turn towards left now. And now it is no more the high way! It looks like a village road, finally! But it is going through thick forest now. Bliss! Slowly slowly I am seeing a few vehicles. Even some two wheelers. This region has greatly dense forests and small hills. But there are no mountains as such. I can continue at normal speed. Only I need to stop for taking photographs! Again groups of monkeys are there! But they did not trouble me. Slowly slowly I approached the corner near Kalleshwaram. Sironcha is just 14 kms from here!

 And now I am seeing Godavari! Ohh! Amazing. Godavari’s bed must be 3.5 kms wide here! It is colossal! It is almost like a seashore. I cannot see the other side! I am speechless, just speechless. Galloped this glory and slowly crossed the bridge. How lucky I am! Just before Sirnocha I met Shri. Manikji. Manikji gave me directions and left for Sironcha. In main square of Sironcha town, he, Damodarji and many other activists welcomed me! Not only they welcomed me, I was given opportunity to speak a bit. People were so happy to see me. I was unknown to them, but still my cycle connected me with them! Later on I was told to stay in one hostel situated near Pranhita river. This is nothing less than an unbelievable dream!

In the afternoon, I met one police officer who was from Nanded. I also met officers who were from Parbhani, my hometown! In the evening, I got opportunity to interact with the students of one school. Throughly enjoyed this also as I was getting this opportunity after some days. I shared my experiences with them and told them that they too can do such things. What a day this has been! The hostel where I am staying is also at a very unique place. On the other side of Pranhita river, I can see Telangana! And Mancherial is just 50 kms from here and my father and his siblings had stayed there when they were small, when my grandfather was working there! Some 60 years back! This cycling tour has been so special. And today is nothing less than a dream! The people I met re so friendly. I am happy that I actually came here and experienced this. Otherwise Gadchiroli district is known mostly for Naxalism. But I am seeing how truth shatters rumours. Interestingly, language spoken over here is similar to Telugu and not Marathi!

 

For Tomorrow- The road towards Repanpally is very rough. But importantly, I was told that it is functional and I need not take a diversion as told by the google map. I will enjoy that also. But I am also feeling slightly sad as now just 5 days of the ride are remaining. Tomorrow will be again a remarkable day!

Next: Cycling in 4 states on single gear cycle 15: Sironcha to Repanpally (63 kms)

(Thanks for reading! You can enjoy the photos on the blog link given above. You can also read about my experiences of trekking, cycling, running, meditation, sky watching etc. there. If you wish to get updates of such activities, you can contact me. Niranjan Welankar 09422108376)