For 21-year-old Prashanth Kolachala, biking is a way to relieve himself of stress. Currently pursuing mechanical engineering from MVSR College of Engineering in Hyderabad, Prashanth feels a bike ride is the ideal stress buster amidst rigorous and hectic course-work and examination schedule. “I do not drink or smoke. Whenever I’m feeling stressed and need an adrenaline boost, I go out on a bike ride. That feeling of liberation and freedom is just unbelievable,” says Prashanth.
The youngster, who recently returned from a biking trip to Ladakh, says he was always drawn towards bikes. “Even as a kid, I would enjoy going on rides with my dad. I always had this craving for bikes. At the age of eleven, I rode a kinetic and when I was 17, I got my first bike,” says Prashanth, who currently rides a Royal Enfield.
“No matter how busy I am, I manage to make time for a bike ride at least once a week. The beautiful part about biking is that there are various ways to seek joy from it. If you travel in a group, you get a sense of brotherhood and if you ride alone you attain a sense of peace and calm. For me, biking is almost sacred,” he says, passionately.
As devoted as he is, Prashanth is equally aware of the perils of biking and asserts that safety has always been his primary focus.
“I always take the necessary safety precautions, no matter where I’m going. You will never see me on a bike without a helmet. A lot of people say that one requires protective gear only while riding on a highway, but I firmly believe that everybody must wear a helmet, even if they are going to a supermarket,” he insists.
Prashanth has, so far, gone on several biking trips outside Hyderabad, to cities like Bangalore, Chennai and Vijayawada. Speaking about his most memorable ride, he says, “I once covered almost entire Karnataka on my bike over a span of two months. It was during the monsoon and the roads were wet and ‘skiddy’. But the locations were simply stunning and it’s an experience I’ll never forget.”
“I went to Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore and Coorg, apart from other small villages. I also visited the famous Jog falls. The scenery was simply spectacular and the trip, though tiring, was exhilarating. If I had to pick one, this would be my favourite trip of them all,” he says, with a smile.
suhas@newindianexpress.com