The concept of kindness and humanity has always questioned 26-year-old Sai Teja. To find out if benevolence still exists in the world and to experience it, the youngster decided to go on tour throughout India in his cycle. He started cycling from his hometown of Bengaluru on October 2. In the last 55 days he has driven 2,500 km. Currently in Chennai, Sai Teja talks to DT Next about his journey to find out if “magic” still exists. “From Bengaluru, I traveled directly to Tamil Nadu, covering all towns and villages. It was a wonderful cycling trip through Madurai, Tiruchy, Pollachi, Coimbatore, Ooty, Pazhani, Kanniyakumari, Rameswaram, Puducherry and so on. I arrived in Chennai on November 26th and will be heading to Andhra Pradesh on November 30th. From there I will cycle to Orissa, West Bengal, the northeastern states and other northern states. When I started this cycling trip on a mission to find out if “magic” existed, many thought I was crazy. But I was very clear on my goal, â€says Sai Teja.
Before asking him what his definition of “magic†is, the youngster tells us: “Well, magic can be anything, it can be an act of kindness, of sharing or even of love. In solo trips like this, many want the magic or miracle to happen at one point or another. As travelers, we don’t know what to expect on the journey. In this trip all over India, I hope to meet caring people and at the same time explore myself as a person. I also share my journey and my life experiences with people ready to travel, â€he smiles.
Traveling during a pandemic and a rainy season is no easy task. But Sai Teja solved the problem well. “I may not have a proper travel plan in place, but I know the route. I stayed in gasoline beds and temples on this trip. If someone shows up with accommodation, I stay with them. If the weather is nice, I put up a tent. I also carry a 2kg bottle – if I have a nice place and clean water, I cook and eat. Sometimes people invite me to share a meal with them. These are the people who are ready to help others under any circumstances. We hear a lot of cuteness stories – I wanted to experience it myself. One day, while cycling through a town in Tennessee, an elderly person stopped his vehicle and asked me about my trip. I explained my mission and he was delighted. Immediately he took his purse and handed over 1,200 rupees and said, “I couldn’t travel when I was young and I don’t think I will be able to travel again. I wanted to support you on this journey. It was a very touching gesture. I hope to meet more people like him, â€says Sai.
To raise money for food and other things, Sai sells face masks with his trip.
