1000 km Father–Son Cycling Pilgrimage: Ashtavinayak Yatra – Day 0: Getting Ready

“When there is a will, there is a way.”

For many years, since around 2021, I carried a quiet wish in my heart, a wish to embark on a cycling pilgrimage to the sacred Ashtavinayak temples of Maharashtra. These eight shrines of Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, had always seemed to call me. But life had other plans.. the pandemic, responsibilities, and that lingering thought of “maybe later.”

It was during the vibrant days of the Lord Ganesha Festival, those ten days when Maharashtra, and the world beyond, celebrates Ganapati with devotion, color, and community that our family conversations about the Ashtavinayak temples deepened. We often spoke about the meaning of these eight sacred sites, spread across five districts, and their timeless relevance in people’s lives.

The atmosphere of celebration around us made it feel like the right time to not just talk about Lord Ganesha, but to journey through the land and culture where His presence is most alive. Perhaps carried by this spirit, Shriram had something stirring in his mind. One day, he looked at me and asked, “Shall we do it together, the Ashtavinayak Yatra on bicycles?”

No words can capture the joy of a father when his child chooses not just to accompany him, but to lead him on a journey. I had always encouraged my children to cycle, from kindergarten rides to daily school trips, to small adventures around our town. I never realized when Shriram would grow from pedaling beside me to becoming a passionate cyclist in his own right.

This pilgrimage became his project. He took charge of everything form cycles, gear, routes, safety, to communication strategies. I happily became the follower. My wife, Sunanda, and daughter, Rutuja, cheered us on, helping us pack and prepare. Rutuja, also a cyclist, wanted to join, but her medical entrance exams demanded focus. She smiled through her disappointment, slipping energy snacks into our bags.

The night before departure was special. Our home hummed with preparation such as adjusting gears, checking brakes, filling bottles, packing clothes and IDs. By midnight, our bikes stood ready, gleaming in anticipation of the road ahead. Alarms were set for 4:00 a.m., yet excitement made sleep elusive.

There was nervous energy, yes, but also gratitude. We were not just preparing for 1000 kilometers of mountains and valleys, temples and villages but we were preparing for a journey of discovery: of nature, of culture, of faith, and, most importantly, of ourselves.

In the words of the poet Rumi: “As you start to walk on the way, the way appears.” For us, as we set our bicycles by the door, the way was waiting. A way of devotion, adventure, and, above all, togetherness.

Tomorrow, the pedals would roll. Tonight, our hearts were already on the road.