Kashmiri girls pedal out of taboos
Kashmiri women who cycled were once ridiculed. But the pandemic-induced lockdown spurred them to cycle their way to better health and fitness, breaking patriarchal shackles along the way.
When the first light of dawn breaks on the horizon, 23-year-old Tanzeela Akhter makes hasty calls to her friends before setting out on their early morning expedition.
Donning sports suits, protective gear and wide smiles, they join others along the picturesque Boulevard and Fore Shore Road that curves around Dal Lake in Srinagar. They are part of a new trend sweeping the small and often troubled city – a growing number of cyclists exhilarated by daily rides through the roads and tracks of the valley.
How the pandemic made Kashmiris more health conscious and start cycling
As the devastating second wave of COVID-19 hit India, the pandemic-induced health consciousness, coupled with lockdown boredom, has led to pedal-power trending among the masses across this mountainous valley.
“I used to walk two kilometres to my office daily. With offices including mine shutting down during the pandemic, I decided to cycle along with my friends,” said Akhter, while taking a break from her ride. “It keeps me refreshed.”
How cycling can improve our physical and mental wellbeing
Since not only work places but also educational institutions were closed during the lockdown, a growing number of women and girls began taking up sports and physical activities. Cycling quickly proved to be most popular choice – with women and men alike – as it was both easy and healthy.
“Since the lockdown I’ve been cycling regularly. Initially I was the only girl from my locality. But now many more have joined,” said Hurmah Shah, an 18-year-old college student from Shalimar in Srinagar.
Young women break taboos about cycling in Kashmir
Not many years ago, cycling was known to be a men’s sport in the valley. A grown-up girl riding a bicycle would attract unsolicited attention.
Given the societal fabric, a woman riding a bicycle, and that too on a regular basis, had become very rare over the last thirty years. But recently, with changing lifestyle, the gender bias in cycling is slowly disappearing.
“A few years ago, I used to feel embarrassed to cycle, because people passing would make offensive comments,” said 26-year-old Insha Wadoo, who was the State Cycling Champion in 2016. Their comments generally implied that it was not good of girls to cycle. Wadoo used to cycle early in the morning to avoid people and their unsavoury comments.
“But now I feel overwhelmed seeing scores of girls and women pedalling in the morning,” she said.
How the pandemic forced people to review their lifestyles and become more fit
People in the health sector believe that the pandemic stimulated a health sensitivity among the masses, young people in particular.
“Apart from jogging, a number of women have taken to cycling. The trend is heartening,” said Balbir Singh, the Srinagar district sports officer of Jammu and Kashmir’s Department of Youth Services and Sports.
Amidst the rise in social problems – from drug abuse to mental health problems and suicides – fitness activities provide a ray of hope, said Singh.
While the national prevalence of mental health problems is thought to 10.6% of the population, according to National Mental Health Survey 2015-16, it is estimated to be whopping 45% in the valley, as per the Kashmir Mental Health Survey Report 2015.
“While cycling is an efficient means of attaining physical fitness, it also helps women evade boredom, depression and other lifestyle disorders,” said Singh.
How Kashmir’s cycling obsession spurred the fitness market
While the roads along the scenic Dal Lake are abuzz with the cycling enthusiasts – not surprisingly there is an increase in bicycle shops opening up in the last two years. And it is not just in the urban areas of Srinagar, but a large number of bicycle shops have cropped up in rural areas too.
Along the 10 kilometre stretch of the Srinagar-Bandipora highway, over half-a-dozen bicycle showrooms have opened up in the last few years.
“There’s good demand for bicycles, as people prefer them these days. Earlier only men used to buy, but this season, I have sold many bicycles to girls too,” says Syed Sayeed Shah, a sexagenarian shop owner in north Kashmir.
More and more parents are getting bicycles for their young girls too.
“Earlier it used to be only boys, but now a number of parents visit my shop along with their school or college-going girls to get them cycles,” said Sayeed Shah.
Cycling in Kashmir: Promoting health and wellness while fighting gender taboos
Now that the no-cycling taboos are disappearing, women and girls are not just cycling to maintain their health and physical fitness but for the convenience of commute too. It is now common to see women and girls pedalling their way to schools, colleges and work – with more joining in every week.
Nasir Yousufi is an independent journalist based in Srinagar.
