Today is our first day on the Royal Enfield Bullet bike - a classic retro designed bike with little change in it's looks from the original model. The predecessor of the Bullet was first produced in 1931. This
was followed by a four-valve, single-cylinder model named Bullet in
1932. The 1935 G model was the first that assumed the 'modern' look,
with vertical cylinder, cast-in pushrod tunnel and eventually fully
enclosed valve gear. The single was reintroduced in 1948-49 redesigned by Ted
Pardoe, chief draftsman at Enfield in Redditch, England. The strong
single cylinder engine allowed it to excel as a trials bike.Orders from the Indian government for use in it's army led to setting up of the
Royal Enfield factory in India in 1955. The Bullet today is faithful to that classic
design of the 50's albeit with several design and quality improvements.
Everyone was eager and enthiusiatic and ready and all the bikes were
shiny and our motorcycle attire were all gleaming. Gushaini is 250 km
from Chandigarh and we will be travelling along
Chandigarh-Mandi-Kanda-Gushaini.
Barely 15 km and still within the city limit, we had our first breakdown! One of the bikes had a puncture. While waiting by the roadside, we were surprised when we saw "weeds" growing by the road side. Now I know why Marijuana are also called weeds. In India or at least in Chandigarh it is growing everywhere and were actually growing as weeds.
The road to Mandi was an elevation up to 1,200m above sea leavel.
Colourful lorries plies along this road. The ride today are generally amongst heavy vehicles.
A former princely state, Mandi in the state of Himachal Pradesh is
located in the banks of the Beas River. This historic city has retained
much of its past glory and elegance. Steeped in the grandeur of its
past, Mandi has made a flourishing changeover in to an effervescent and
bustling city.
Famed for its stone temples, this city has popularly called as
the 'Varanasi of Hills'. The majestic palaces and finely carved temples
speak out the princely elegance of this pictorial town. Elegant mansions
of Victorian era add the charm of this beautiful picnic spot. Mandi is
believed to be the place where the great sage 'Mandav' had undertaken
his penance and legends say that his reparation was so severe that the
rocks were turned black due to it.
The ride continues on to a dirt road up the mountains and traffic remains busy with heavy vehicles. Unfortunately it rained mostly after Mandi and the camera was kept in the bag and no photograph were taken. An accident occurred after Mandi when one bike lost control and went under a bus. We had an injured rider whom had to travel in the back up vehicle and a damaged bike up into the lorry.
When we were in Gushaini, we stayed in a tiny hamlet nestled in the folds of the
Tirthan Valley in Kullu district. This mountain hamlet would have been
like any other village that dots the hills and mighty mountains of North
India. Raju Bharati, an enterprising man has converted
his house into a pleasant homestay amidst an orchard of apples and peaches trees. The cottage is partially hidden under lush mountainous
foliage and across the Tirthan river and hidden from view from across the river. The double bedroom was made up of wood and locally-sourced pine woods.
Posing at the hamlet myself, Fadil of Royal Enfield Malaysia, Ruslan an architect and Azman a contractor businessman.
One way taxi from Delhi to Chandigarh
ReplyDeleteOne way taxi from Delhi to Manali