Bulls On Parade to Chittorgarh

The Chittorgarh Cavaliers

The THIRD Anniversary. 29 Rides had been completed so far with a total distance coverage of 22446 kms. The Anniversary had to celebrated in a grand manner. As per tradition it had to be in the state of Rajasthan only. And what location speaks of valour and grandeur better than Chittorgarh containing the historic Vijay Stambh. It is the second largest fort in India following Kumbhalgarh Fort. We had been hearing about this place since childhood. It was time that we see those pictures in NCERT history books in real life. The Cavaliers were 11 rider strong for this one. But last moment cancellations and "no-show" happened. In the end, 8 riders were to undertake this valiant journey. 1. Maharana Nishant Jha - Royal Enfield Electra 2. Shurveer Vikas Garg - Royal Enfield Standard Highly Modded 3. Suryavanshi Varun Doegar - Royal Enfield Thunderbird 4. Tejaswi Tsering Topgyal - Royal Enfield Electra 5. Rajput Phalgun Reddy - Royal Enfield Machismo 500 6. Vijayi Asok Rana AND Veer Zaheer - Royal Enfield Electra 7. Pratapi Saurabh Khanna - Royal Enfield Electra 8. Vinamra Diptinder Singh Chhabra - Royal Enfield Electra At Bulls on Parade (BoP), we are a traditional lot. Hence, on the night before the ride, we kept the tradition of boozing till late, alive. The gathering was at the same ahaata where Nishant had held his farewell party. With little sleep, everyone gathered early next morning. 12 November 2010 The time set for meeting up was 5 AM. Everyone had gathered by 5:20 AM and we were off at 5:30 AM. Tsering was missing, but he would be catching up on the way. This also seems to be a tradition with him. Arun had confirmed for the ride but was nowhere and non-reachable too. We had planned to cover a good 100 kms to Behror in the thin morning traffic before halting for a break. Early morning is the best time to travel on this much traffic-ed road. Although construction is under progress to convert it into 6-lane, there is still ample room for the traffic, quite unlike Soma builders of NH-1 who have just broken the entire stretch. It felt good to travel on this superb highway after so long. The last time we had done NH-8 was one year ago only to Ranthambhore if we do not count the very short spell during the ride to Tijara in May. I was riding with Nishant after a long time. This is when the rides are most disciplined. Riding with hangover has also become a tradition. Except for a short break after 70 kms to regroup, the progress was quite good. I get nostalgic whenever passing the turn of Neemrana Fort. That was BoP Ride#1 and were now on Ride #30. We stopped at the same dhaba where we had stopped during the Second Anniversary Ride to Ranthambhore, Hotel Prem Pavitra. Fagu, on the other hand, chose to ride another km ahead and then returning. This was going to be the routine throughout this ride. The traditional orders of parathas with butter and hot tea followed. Asok was chosen as the Khajanchi for this ride being non-drinker and non-smoker. Tsering caught up when we were just finishing breakfast. His tastes are somewhat different. While the rest were having parathas, he ordered chhole-rice. I suspect he must have mistaken the time of the day too just as he had earlier mistaken the day of the ride. 100 kms was going to be the minimum distance between breaks we were to cover on this very long ride. And it was going great too. In no time, we were at Chandwaji Mod and turning towards Ajmer. This turn has been a topic of much debate within BoP, but thats another story. The tarmac to Ajmer is still one of the best in the country. Two years have gone by since our last ride here and it is still creamy. I wish other state governments would make the same effort on developing roads. The only hurdle while riding on this road is that you tend to get drowsy. The booze of last night was not helping either. I simply had to stop for a quick rest. Then bought some engine oil as the gasket was leaking and filled up on fuel also. I reached the spot where others were waiting one hour later. Now, the weather was looking cloudy. Another traditional bit. One would not expect it to rain in Rajasthan in the month of November. But where there's BoP, there's bound to be rainfall, that too a heavy one. We all were prepared for this and so put on the raingear. As we neared Kishangarh, it started to pour. I could feel huge raindrops hitting the helmet just as Dave Lombardo hits his drums. The rain lasted 30 minutes, but it was heavy enough to cause damage for the rest of the ride. Then we took the turn towards NH-79. This was new stretch for BoP. Tsering was spotted topless at one instant standing on the side of the road. The sky was clear now with the sun shining through. We were getting drier by the minute except the part we were sitting on. When we were almost dry, God again showed his sense of humour as had happened many times before. Clouds appeared and it again poured down wetting us to the core. Rainsuits can protect you only till a certain point. After that, the liquid seeps through to every nook and corner of the body. By now, we were drenched. Feet were splashing inside the boots. That's one hateful feeling. Usually, by this stage, we are having a beer break. Strangely on this ride, we had not had one. The next stop was taken only when we were about 110 kms from Chittorgarh for lunch. The place looked interesting. We had our tables arranged at the rooftop. It provided a good view of the surrounding fields and our motorcycles too. The sun was still hidden in the clouds and there were even darker clouds where we were headed. A variety of Rajasthani dishes were ordered. Gatta sabzi, sev tamatar, daal. But, everything lacked taste. Even the rotis were badly made. This turned the moods off. We slipped on the wet socks and shoes to make the last stretch. We encountered only drizzle after that. The worst was behind us. The 110 kms was covered in 2 hours flat. When we finally turned off NH-79 at Chittorgarh, there was still some daylight left. This is a rarity in our rides. Usually, some breakdown occurs and we reach our hotel well into the night. No sooner had the thought occurred, Fagu's Machismo was not starting. Our Bullet specialist, Zaheer bhai went towards him. While he checked one Bullet, the rest of us checked out two others, the liquid kind, Bullet beer. Fagu was quickly on his Bullet without any fix. Now, we entered the city. Its not a big city. We reached the traffic light just near our hotel, Hotel Pratap Palace, an appropriate name in this place. As soon as the lights turned green, we announced our arrival. All the silencers burst in loud roars. Throttles opened wide. A short burst later and we switched into our anthem vrooms (VROOM-VROOM-VROOMVROOMVROOM). Fists in the air, accelerators working in rhythm, loud warcries of the riders, all synchronise into a musical extravaganza. BoP had reached its destination.Three other motorcycles in the parking caught our attention. One Jawa, One Yezdi and One Bullet. The rooms were luxurious. There was no need of getting extra beds. There was a jharokha set up by the window in each room. The only sore point was that hot water was not available. It was available only in the morning. But still, the weather was not cold enough. After cleaning up, we began to prepare for the council meeting. The room attendant knew exactly what we wanted. He arranged the seating in the lawn downstairs complete with snacks, glasses, huge ice bucket(there's more on this), soda, the works. Nishant had specially brought Glenfiddich for this ride. Personally, I had never tasted that before so was really looking forward to it. Bikaneri bhujia was served as complimentary. Vikas distributed the official BoP caps. And the Great BBB started. Anyone who has attended even a single BBB knows how legendary they are. Although, every moment in a ride are special, the BBB times are the ones we look forward to the most. These are the times when one does not have to worry about reaching anywhere, behaving oneself, controlling one's mouth. The most quotable quotes are created in such meetings. Fagu was the person who got the maximum beating. But he takes everything sportingly, which encourages us to take his ride even more. Even more amazing is the fun non-drinkers get in these meetings. You do not have to be a drunkard to behave stupidly, you see. The ice bucket became a source of discussion. While serving ice, I was taking too long and tolerating advice from everybody. I was particular on using the vice to grab ice, WOW, that rhymes. Now, when Vikas tried his hand, he also suffered the same ordeal. Saurabh was the advisor this time. Too bad that he also got his hands stuck with the stupid vice next. After repeated calls from the staff to have dinner, we finally got up and went into the restaurant. I just remember Laal Maas being served. I really do not remember any other dishes. More than being tasteful, it is cleansing. It rids you of all the inner poisons. After having our fill, we bade goodbyes and went for much needed sleep. 13 November 2010 A lazy wake-up morning. Breakfast was complimentary. Some tasty poori-sabzi, poha. But Fagu always has to order some more variety. He ordered veg sandwich, omelette and orange juice. I think he's trying to take on English tastes after his ideal, Pamela Timms. He didn't find the poha tasteful. Later, we came to know that whatever we liked, he didn't. He even disliked the taste of Glenfiddich. He couldn't even finish one peg. Fagu, I'll always be sore with you regarding that. As we were getting up, something else caught the motorcyclists' fancy. The hotel had kept two tortoise pets. This was a scene to watch. Hard Riders playing with turtles. We have different shades. Not always loud and brutal. As we planned our next move, Saurabh enquired about the vintage ford in the parking. We came to know that it was used to escort visitors to the Fort. Hearing the reasonable price of Rs 1500 for the entire tour, we booked it for 1 PM. Now, we had 4 hours to do nothing. As surprisingly, it may sound, two hours passed boringly. Then when everyone had regrouped, we headed out to check out Neelya Mahadev. This place was recommended by our server last night. The locals always give the best advice on places to see. We started our Bullets again and stormed out into the city. Saurabh was riding pillion with Nishant and got busy in camera work. It is quite amusing to look at the surprise glances of the locals when we pass through their villages. We circled the mountain atop which the majestic Fort stood. After crisscrossing several villages for around 20 kms and asking for directions, we reached Keldhar Mahadev. There are many Shiv shrines around that area. Each one has a small waterfall at the back of the temple. On reaching the spot, we saw the waterfall was just a trickle. Riders undertook the next best thing. Climbing rocks upto the source of water. We were short of time as we had to reach back to the hotel for the joyride to the Fort. Moreover, it was impolite to have a drink right above the temple. So, there was little to do. Taking some interesting pics, we headed back. By now, we were hungry. A cart nearby provided respite. He was serving samosas, pakodas, bhujias. We got it all packed to be had on the ride. The cart got sold out. We all piled into the old Ford. With a loud warcry of "JAI BoP", we were off. It was a royal feeling travelling through the city on that vehicle. With snacks in hand, there was little control and the unfinished Glenfiddich came out. Neat swigs followed all around. We were also a photographic sight for the other tourists inside the Fort. They must have thought we were descendants from the Royal Family, but then only if paid close attention, they would have thought otherwise. We have a class, you see. First stop was at Kumbhal Mahal. The guide, Trilok, was very informative. The Fort has a grand history. It has seen numerous battles. The Rajputs were the orginal owners. They were attacked by Alauddin Khilji, a real asshole. He was captivated by the beauty of Rani Padmini after looking at her through a mirror. He took the King prisoner by treachery. When the womenfolk of the Fort committed Johar, he plundered the Fort, breaking the idols. These signs of destruction are still visible. Even Emperor Akbar had taken over the Fort, but he left the structure intact. Other associations with the Fort were Humayun, Meerabai and Maharana Pratap. Such a grand and violent history. Its always enraging the way scribbles on the walls have destroyed the beauty of these monuments. We should organise a johar nowadays for such people. Next stop were two temples. The surprise was Nishant visited both of them. We are known not to visit temples on our trips, but this was surely a shock. Next stop, the much aniticipated Vijay Stambh. It has nine storeys. Unknown to many, the stairs only take you up to the eighth storey. The stairs to the ninth level are broken. Most of the tourists just leave the place believing they have climbed the top. But BoP's sharp eyes captured the broken stairs. Asok, Vikas and me climbed up to the top level through grooves in the wall. To go places where none have ventured before. Vikas' pants were a casualty in the descent. Not to be embarassed, he walked shamelessly with his crotch hanging out. Shikanji provided much needed hydration. We were met by the owner of our hotel here as he had brought some more guests in the Land Rover. His humbleness was charming. Nishant had spoken with him earlier also at the hotel. He informed that we were the first Indian Bulleteers to visit his hotel. Usually, its the firangs. Another record for BoP. We arrived at Rani Padmini Mehal later. You can get a heroic pic clicked in the parking lot while sitting on a horse with its front legs in the air. Asok, Zaheer and Tsering opted. Vikas bhai went to look for something to protect his dignity. Sadly, he was handed over a rental ghaaghra. Hence, the dignity was further destroyed. Inside the Mehel, we were shown the spot from where Alauddin Khilji saw Rani Padmini that drove him insane. Its hard to imagine what it must have been like. Nowadays humans have no such sense of pride at all and they dont travel any length to defend it. We just tolerate everything silently. The next stop was handicraft shops. Nothing worthwhile there unless you are a family man. Our guide recommended the sound and light show and we went for it. By now, it was dark. Clouds were looming overhead. It was cold and windy. The light show started. It was going well. The local folk music mixed with the narration of the Fort's history. The lights playing a nice backdrop. But half hour later, it started to rain. We had to leave. Our escort vehicle was an open top. We quickly piled into the vehicle. One important stop in the way was at the theka to pickup rum and beer for the night. The Glenfiddich was done. We were happy on seeing the rain. That would decrease its possibility the next day. This time we had the session in the room. Room service brought in snacks for the night. The hotel staff must have also been glad to keep us out of earshot of the other guests. Since we had to exit this place the next day, we finished the drinks quickly and went for dinner. Much to our flatter, the dishes we had ordered for our meal was being served as a buffet. Gatta, Dal bhaati, loads of ghee. All the other guests were enjoying them. After dinner we strolled out into the porch to have a small BBB session. 14 November 2010 The return trip starts. We were on top of our motorcycles as dawn broke. Filling up, we decided to have our first stop only after covering 100 kms. But the weather was foggy. The visor had to be wiped frequently. It turned out to be 125 kms before we could find any suitable place to eat. But we had made excellent time to reach there. One trend you see in Rajasthan is branding with the name of the state. You can see Jammu Himachal Punjab dhaba, Bihar workshop. Meanwhile, Tsering had advanced much forward and was having his own breakfast. The cook was just starting to knead the flour. It took a long time before we were served the deep fried onion parathas. The taste was somewhat nice. I tried my hands on the SLR here. See if you can spot the difference between my clicks and the others in the photo album. You wont be able to. Maybe, its another of my hidden talents. GRINNNNNNNNNN. It got late as we had breakfast. We were losing our early morning advantage. This is how 100 km gaps came into effect. It was to stay with the rest of the ride. We plan to continue this trend in our future rides too. Another stop at a dhaba for tea after 100 kms. This time Tsering was with us too. Well, only I had tea, the rest had cold drinks. I missed Rohit bhai on seeing this. He's the eternal tea partner, whatever day, whatever time. You think you drink enough beers? Watch that guy have tea. Now, sleep started to catch up with us. The going got tougher. I saw Fagu standing by the side of the road as we touched Jaipur byepass. I recommended the therapy of screaming out loud a couple of times to make the sleep go away. Try it, it works. There was no need for it though. The byepass was under construction. Fresh tarmac was being laid. The road was wavy. This meant you had to keep your grip strong at the handlebars. This worked even better. As we touched NH-8, we stopped for lunch. We were making good time. With 4 hours of daylight and 188 kms to Gurgaon, it seemed we would make it before dark. Thats another reason I enjoy riding on NH-8. Its one of the cleanest entries and you do not have to travel across Delhi to reach home. By now, I was getting slightly thirsty too. A theka close by provided the Bullet beer. The food was plain, but delicious. Or maybe, beer on the side made it tastier. As we carried on, we prepared ourselves for the three oncoming nightmares. Kotputli, Behror and Gurgaon border. These three places are always jampacked. The first one came with a bang. Kilometers of jams. The major part was escaped by taking the service road. But sooner or later, you get caught in the main line and then wait, frustratingly. Surprisingly, the Behror jam was cleaner and we passed neatly. There was a pause after Neemrana. Tea break and Maggi. This was to be the last pit stop of the ride. There was still some daylight left. It got dark after Dharuhera. That was when the jam hit us. It was twisting, turning, offroading, dusty time as the Bullets snaked through the long queue of traffic. Its ironic how people in cars pay the heavy toll only to get stuck in this chaotic jam. We all gathered at the Gurgaon Toll plaza with dirt all over ourselves. It was the end of the ride. An Anniversary well celebrated. Couple of clicks with us shouting the slogan, "JAI BoP". Only the last customary cheers remained. This, we had at Hero Honda chowk. The traditional Tuborg pint. This ride marked the completion of 30 BoP rides. The total distance now covered is 23676 kms. What made this ride even more special was the reunion of old buddies. Nishant Jha had come over from Kuwait to be a part of this ride. Varun Doegar had made a comeback from his married life after more than a year. Tsering and Asok had stepped out of their hibernation to celebrate the Anniversary. Fagu was doing his last ride with us before leaving for Bangalore. With the winter season on us, its only going to get wilder. Here's looking forward to the 4th Anniversary. Cheers! JAI BoP!!!