A boy from a humble family in Andhra Pradesh has made news for cycling to Ladakh in a month. He didn’t have a stable job. His attempt to run a shop failed, and a small job in Bangalore didn’t provide satisfactory earnings. Taking a break, he returned to his hometown and stood looking at the forest.
Observing the extensive deforestation, he felt compelled to do something to raise awareness about protecting nature. Watching travel blogs on his mobile phone, he got an idea. He immediately bought an old bicycle and started on a cycling journey to Ladakh. Starting on June 12, the journey successfully ended on July 13.
After a month, he reached Ladakh and accomplished his goal, of becoming a social media celebrity. This young man, Bashir from Palamaner in Chittoor district, proved that anyone can achieve anything if they are determined. He aimed to protect nature and enhance the environment by doing something new. Without hesitation, he took leave from his small job, told his family he was going on a month-long trip, bought a bicycle for Rs 2,000 and set off with Rs 3,000 in hand. Ultimately, he achieved success and shared his experience with Local 18.
For the Ladakh journey, Bashir bought an old bicycle and replaced its tyres. He attached a board to the front of the bicycle that said ‘Save Trees, Save Forest’ and another plate that read ‘Palamaner to Ladakh’. He began his journey from Palamaner on June 12. Travelling through Madanapalle, Anantapur, he crossed Andhra Pradesh, then Telangana, and upon reaching Maharashtra via Adilabad, he had exhausted all his money.
Bashir, son of Mastan Basha from Palamaner, studied up to a degree but couldn’t find a job, so he opened a mobile shop locally. When that didn’t work out, he closed it and moved to Bangalore for a small job at Flipkart, but it didn’t bring in much income. Recently, he took leave and returned to his hometown. Seeing the forest being destroyed, Bashir felt a strong need to protect the environment.
To spread this message, he decided to undertake a cycling journey to Ladakh. He started posting videos of his financial struggles on a travel blog. Locals, seeing these videos, learned about his journey to Ladakh. Some residents sent him money through PhonePe. With that money, he managed to have breakfast, skip lunch, eat bread at night, and sleep at petrol stations during his journey.
By the time he reached Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi, the rains had started, making it difficult to find a place to stay at night. He bought a small tent and slept in it. Entering Kashmir via Punjab, he faced more difficulties due to the extreme cold. Videos of him struggling in the cold went viral on social media. A blogger named Ram the Traveler sent Bashir Rs 10,000. With temperatures around ten degrees during the day and minus three at night, he bought warm clothes and resumed his journey.
In the Kargil Valley, for a hundred kilometres, there was a river on one side and mountains on the other, with narrow paths making it impossible to find a place to sleep. He continued his journey for two days without sleep. He then went to the BSF camps, stayed near the soldiers’ tents, and ate the food they provided. Finally, after spending Rs 25,000, he completed his journey on July 13 by reaching the board set up at the highest point in the country (18,000 feet) in Ladakh.
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