Ride Your Dreams: India to London on a Motorcycle

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This book is an outcome of two different ecological setups; here the study is depicting how the populace of Lachenpa and Nicobarese have adopted to the ecological niches to maintain their survival strategy in such harsh conditions. The objective of the book is to represent the nature of ecological adaptation by human beings who depend on environment to continue their existence.

The first part of the book deals with how the Lachen valley inhabitants survive in such an extremely cold Himalayan region and maintain their livelihood, with 'Yak' being the center of their existence. The second part of the book deals with 'Kalapani' i.e., Andaman and Nicobar group of Islands. The people have been maintaining their survival strategies around 'Pig' since many generations. In both the cases, animals play an essential role to fulfil needs and demands of people in every sphere of life and culture.

This book tries to highlight the relationship between man and nature in two different ecological scenarios. In both the cases, the people try to maintain their age-old identity in the fields of socio-cultural, economic and others values. Hope, this work will inspire more scholars/anthropologists to investigate, different ecological situations around the globe.

K.M. Sinha Roy (b. 1960) obtained Master Degree in Social Anthropology from North Bengal University and Doctorate Degree from Ranchi University. He has done intensive work on communities of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, such as the Jarwas, Nicobarese and Sentenelese. He has also worked in various other national and regional projects of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Sikkim, Odisha, U P, West Bengal and has published several research papers in scientific journals including International Journals and has edited multiple books. Presently, He has authored one book on Bastar Dusshera and superannuated from Anthropological Survey of India.

Krishna Basu (b. 1962), obtained her Master's degree in Anthropology with specialization in Social and Cultural Anthropology from University of Calcutta. At present she is working in the Anthropological Survey of India. She has done empirical field survey among the tribals and non-tribals of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Orissa, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, She has published different research papers in the edited books and scientific journals. She has remained involved in Anthropological Survey of India. She has completed her Ph.D on 4 Lachenpa community of Lachen valley at North Sikkim.

Following an extraordinary 76-day journey, through 14 countries and travelling some 12,300 kilometres, I had the privilege to check out the bike and meet the man, Kumar Shah, on a summer's night at Ace Cafe London.

On that August evening of 2013, the commitment, dedication and passion of Kumar was as infectious as it was evident and, unlike Kumar, whilst all men recognise the wheel, few know what it represents, and still fewer aspire to live with or in accord with it!

If you have ever wanted to plan a motorbike ride but didn't know where to start, this book is for you. It doesn't have to be a ride across countries and continents although I'd be delighted for you if that's on your bucket list. It can be a simple ride, although nothing is simple about a bike ride. This book can be your companion, a blueprint, a pick-me-up when you feel like you can't do it, and your friend if you find yourself alone or losing hope on the long road.

I am an outdoor person. I love sports and nature and meeting people across the globe. I learnt how to drive a car before I rode a two-wheeler. I could drive when I was 11, but not independently till I was 18. I rode my first two-wheeler only when I was 18. The first one I ever laid my hands on was a moped called Suvega, then came another moped Luna and then a scooter. I had the humble cycle throughout the five years of college.

Motorcycling is a serious business. Every road you take, every time you ride, it's important to remember that safety has no holiday.

I chose to call my book ""Ride Your Dreams"", a powerful and dynamic phase that doesn't limit itself to only motorbiking. When I say ride your dreams, your dream can be anything. It's up to you and in your hands how you ride it to make it a reality.

I have penned this book to catalogue my real-life situations and experiences -- the good, bad, and the ugly of being on the road for 76 days. In the book you will find hundreds of photographs from my 2013 Silk Odyssey.

I am proud to have successfully completed an extraordinary journey on my 19-year-old Enfield in the year 2013. I was 53 then, and a heart patient, having suffered three heart attacks before my journey.

The 2013 Silk Odyssey was supposed to be a solo ride. But because of my heart issues, I decided to pay heed to my family's concern for my well-being and decided to go with a pillion.

I had decided to write a book about my experiences even before I set out in 2013. I wanted to catalogue what many have called, and I believe, is an extraordinary journey. It is a habit I cherish.

I have written this book that is intended to educate the reader about riding across multiple borders, confidently and with clarity. This book is my dedication to the entire fraternity of motorcycling. You can learn from my experiences. This book is a day-by-day account of the 76-day journey. You, the reader will feel as if you're riding pillion with me and seeing what I saw and living what I lived.

I have enjoyed the journey of becoming an author. I feel proud and blessed. It is a life changing experience, and I would like to write more books.

""How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?"" - The Sound of Music.

Often when I think of my student and now friend Kumar Shah, Maria from 'The Sound of Music' comes to mind, accompanied by the lines of the film's introductory song:

""How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?... How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?""

Zest for life is Kumar's credo. I was his House Master for the ten years (1970-80) he spent studying at The Rajkumar College, Rajkot. So, I can proudly claim that I know him pretty well. In retrospect, I would call it a challenging blessing-it honed my skills and gave me happiness.

I find heart-warming similarities between Maria and Kumar-both free birds who could not be caged; both almost unaware that some of their acts, ways, or deeds were unacceptable. And both divinely talented and would go on to achieve extraordinary success.

Kumar was a temperamental and emotional child, who found it impossible to bear what he felt was unjust. The spirit of adventure was his second nature. He could be volatile and caring. I felt he had a strong urge to win. It is interesting to note that Kumar denies that he played or performed to 'win'. ""Whatever I did or do,"" he declares, ""I just give it my best!"" I don't remember any of my other hundreds of students ever making this distinction: between performance for a goal, or as an act of inherent quality.

Very early in his school career we, i.e., the staff of RKC, learned two rather shocking aspects of Kumar. 1) His unacceptability of unfairness. 2) His ability to bear hardship.

Once, when slapped for no apparent reason, ten-year-old Kumar ran away from school and spent some thirteen days with a teaseller at Junagadh Railway station (a couple of days of which he actually sold tea to the passengers). There was indeed a strong tussle of conscience for the young boy, between the shame of being a tea vendor chokra (boy) and going back to school tamely.

When his family ultimately found and brought him back to school, there was another conscientious thought process: This time guilt played on his mind, for having given his wonderful Principal and caring House Master many sleepless nights. Impulsive or not, Kumar has been a boy and a man of pure heart.

The lethal combination of his inherent nature to give everything his best and being blessed with extraordinary talent-both mental and physical-there was hardly any activity or competition at school where he was not among the top performers. Kumar has been a gymnast, a champion athlete, the captain or most important member of the school basketball, cricket, football, and hockey teams.

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