Dear Cycle,

 Dear Cycle,

Today (i.e 11th of July 2025) I let you go, it was difficult, but necessary too. People talk a lot about the art of letting go, but they don’t tell you how difficult it is, but what made it easy, or bearable for me was a movie called Meiyazhagan, which was about two men and a common cycle that was important to both of them at different point of time in their lives, but if one would not have let that cycle go, the other’s life would not have been what is was because of the cycle. I don’t expect that much drama out of you (cycle), but maybe someday that story would replay and instead of two men there would be two women, a common cycle and an endless ride to nostalgia.

My Last photo with Cycle!

I still remember the day we got you, yes we because it was me, Mumma, Durva and Saurabh Dada. He came on his scooty to the cycle shop named 'Amey Cycles' and then he rode you back home and we came on his scooty, all the way back while sitting behind on the scooty my eyes were on you. You were this purple beauty wrapped in plastic for many days, until I felt it was time to take the plastic off. All the girls mostly had the pink variant, but I did not buy the idea of pink for girls, so you were purple. Your beauty spot was the purple basket on the front, which is where Trimax (the house cat) slept when you were parked in Bhagyalaxmi (our residence at that time). I did all the crazy experiments with you, from attaching those coloured beads on the spokes of the tyre to driving you without holding the handle. I know I was a lazy cyclist, I used to fix you, then ride you for 10-15 days and then take a break for a month, after which again Me and Pappa had to take you to the repair shop which was at some distance, it was a boring journey while going to the shop, as you had be pushed to the shop. But while coming back, it was the most interesting one, with air in your wheels and oiling in your parts you used to act all new all over again!

Also you remember that horror experience we had together, so I read a chapter from Ruskin Bond’s ‘A Season Of Ghosts’. After reading half the story I went to cycle as it was getting darker and then while riding I heard some whistling sound from the plants kept outside one of the house and then we fell near those plants on our next round, so I decided to go back home and while I was parking you inside, you fell two times even when I had put the stand correctly. I never read the book ever after that, it still sits on my bookshelf unread. I am sure it was all coincidence, but still who knows!

But honestly riding on you in the evenings after school was my favourite thing to do, it was the time when the cool evening breeze hit my face and my chain of thoughts would unwind. From thinking about school to planning about life, I have done a lot of planning while riding on you, so please do not spill my plans with anyone, it is just between you and me! We both literally knew every inch of Road number 4, the potholes, the open gutter at the end, the garden wall on the other end, the parking space for cars which I used to turn you when there were no cars parked there. This was because we were not allowed to go out of sight of my parents. But then after a few years you even accompanied me to my coaching classes, that was quite far from home, so we spent a lot of time, though on road with other vehicles around, the focus used to be on the other vehicles, it was difficult to match up to their speeds once the signal was green, but we made it in time, always.

Once to enjoy the freedom of life, I took you to the place I had got you from, but it wasn’t a cycle shop anymore. It was a stationary and bookstore. So I parked and locked you outside the first air conditioned bookstore in Panvel and went inside. I was exploring books and after every book, I was looking out, to check if you were in place or not, though I know you would not leave me but the fear of the fact that someone can steal you, made me anxious all along. I bought two novels and kept them in that basket and rode back home happily. Now I know why Pappa keeps looking at the car and the scooty whenever he parks them somewhere. 

We shifted homes and you shifted along, but today you left and now you will have a new address different from that of mine, but just remember one thing, you, me and our memories together will always have a permanent address in my heart, so we need not worry, everytime I miss you I will open that or this blog and live all those memories all over again. I will miss you more on Dusherra, I will miss washing you, doing your pooja and putting the garland around you, but don’t worry someone will do it for you. For the last couple of years we haven’t spent much time together, but now your boredom will be over. Before today I remembered you on 14th November which was your birthday for me, but now I have 11th July too, the day you left me, but this 11th will be your birthday for your next companion. 

My Cycle riding in an Auto!

Everyone is stuck in the cycle of life, but the part of my life with you my dear cycle is one of my favourite parts of childhood, you were the best childhood companion. The other day I was driving the scooty around Road No.4 and I thought that driving a scooty on the same road where you once rode cycle is adulting, but now I believe letting you go with smile on my face, an unshed tear in my eye and a little ache in the heart is real adulting!

Happy Journey,

Your lazy rider,

-सिddhi Bhosale.

PS: I forgot to tell you, I love you!