Nashik: With an indomitable spirit and a crew carrying his bare essentials, 64-year-old Mohinder Singh Bharaj did something that many at his age would not dare—all of it for paying a tribute to his friend, late Jaspal Singh Virdi, former chairman of Nashik Cyclists Foundation.Bharaj scaled all climatic odds and undertook an arduous journey on his cycle from Nashik to the Golden Temple in Amritsar— a distance of around 1,600 kilometres— in eight days. Bharaj had planned to take this trip with Jaspal who has been instrumental in taking cycling to a different pedestal.Bharaj took off from the Gurudwara in Nashik at 6am on March 4 and reached the Golden Temple at 11.15am on March 12. He rode 200-250km daily except on the sixth day when he fell sick after riding for about 70 kilometre.“I rode from 6am to 7-7.15 pm everyday. We stayed wherever we found a hotel. One day, I had a stomach infection and fever hence, I took a break. There was no medical facility nearby. A doctor was available 40km ahead. My crew took me to the doctor and I fel better after taking the medicine. We rode 40km back and started from there the next day,” said Bharaj.“Had there not been cross winds, I would not have taken this much time to complete the ride. There was a lot of heat in Maharashtra but not so much in Madhya Pradesh. Both rain and wind in Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab slowed our pace. It was eight degrees in Punjab when I started for Nashik on March 12,” said the sexagenarian.“People ask why I am doing so much at this age. I felt very good and was satisfied with this ride. I became very emotional at the Golden Temple. I told Him something and I did it. I remembered Jaspal and how the experience would have been had he been there,” he said.

Stay updated with all the Latest Nashik headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.