The cyclists started their adventure from the coastal metropolis of Colombo, covered Portuguese fort city of Galle, passed through the beautiful beaches of Matara and Weligama on the spice route through Udawalawe, and Dehiowita to world-famous Buddhist heritage sites in Dambulla, Sigiriya and Kandy
Bhubaneswar: Eight cyclists of a Bhubaneswar-based cycling club recently completed an 800-kilometre-long journey among the mountains and jungles of Sri Lanka.
As a part of its annual event Bhubaneswar Cycling and Adventure Club (BCAC) has been conducting an international ride for its members since its inception.
In 2015, BCAC members cycled from Bhubaneswar to Bhutan, while in 2016 it was from Vietnam to Cambodia; Cuttack to Kathmandu in 2017 and Manali-Leh-KhardungLa in 2018 with a message of ‘Peace and Friendship’.
Continuing the trend of international cycling expeditions, eight members of BCAC set out on an adventurous journey in the highlands and plains of Sri Lanka this year. With a theme of ‘Reconnecting Buddhism’, the cyclists covered several Buddhist monuments and Pagodas in the island nation drawing a route-map of numeric ‘8’.
The cyclists who started their adventure from the coastal metropolis of Colombo, covered Portuguese fort city of Galle, passed through the beautiful beaches of Matara and Weligama on the spice route through Udawalawe, and Dehiowita to world-famous Buddhist heritage sites in Dambulla, Sigiriya and Kandy before coming back to Colombo to finish their adventure.
The cyclists said that on their way, they explored the history and present-day Sri Lanka through the lenses of Buddhism, the island nation’s culture, traditions and people. They paid their homage to the Tsunami-affected at Peraliya in Hikkaduwa district and learnt about its wrath through the museums and monuments.
Speaking about the trip, cyclist Ajay Nanda said, “While cycling through the landscapes of Sri Lanka we interacted with the locals and found them to be quite welcoming, humble and helpful. We received a warm welcome and smiling faces everywhere we went.”
“Though language was a major concern for us, still we could manage,” he added.
The concept of ‘Spice Gardens’ on the roadsides excited the cyclists and they were given demonstration and ayurvedic massage at some of those gardens.
“We also tasted a lot of new varieties of tropical and exotic fruits throughout the tour,” added Ajay, who is also the secretary of BCAC.
Speaking on the terrain, participant Bibhu Prasad, DGM, NABARD said, “The route was really scenic and adventurous. Except the first day, when we were cycling from Colombo to Galle on a coastal stretch of 125 kilometres, we faced hilly terrains. Especially, the climbs were treacherous on hot daytime, which turns into bliss in the afternoon with the rains. We enjoyed the terrains and climbs while playing hide-n-seek with sun in the mountains.”
