NOWHERE TO HIDE

We ride to Bhangarh, all in good spirit

- Ruman Devmane

In reality, there is no difference between those who ride just for a cup of tea and those who ride for the history books. The summit may differ in its importance, but that’s only in perception. The very idea of motorcycling is to chase something. That’s why it has wheels and a motor — so that it can move forward and, thankfully, sideways, too. Some chase a breakfast, some chase glory. It doesn’t matter what you’re in it for. As long as you’re out there, exposed to the elements with nowhere to hide, you will find something worthwhile.

In hindsight, this appeared to be a terrible philosophy to follow. I stood there, frozen, making nervous conversation with a quieter-than usual Harshit, our non-resident shutterbug, trying not to be spotted. We were in the precinct of the Bhangarh Fort, tucked away in a seemingly forgotten chapter of culture-rich Rajasthan. The fort itself has been officially declared as haunted, to the extent that it’s illegal to venture into it after the sun has set and until it emerges on the other side. They’re dead serious about it, by the way. We hadn’t spotted a ghost, however. Not just yet.