Indraprastha Park and Akshardham 

1/   Last Sunday (21st Feb 2021) was our 26th bicycle trip. Spring was in the air. Balu, Vishvas, and I started from our residential complex. 

Next Sunday, we will be completing our six months of bicycling trips to historical sites in Delhi. Yay! (That would be our 27th trip).

2/   We met Ramesh and Manju on their way to the India Gate. Cyclomats of the world, Unite!

3/ Yogi was waiting for us at the India Gate. Last week, we promised to give him one of the t-shirts that Uma gifted us. So, I packed one in my backpack.

4/ Yogi, after the initiation ceremony, with the Cyclomats t-shirt!

5/ We crossed the familiar sites (which have already been covered) such as Humayun's Tomb, Purana Qila. Then, we saw Indraprastha Park. 

6/ The park was proclaiming the arrival of the Spring.

8/ Mutually curious!

9/ There were lovely park benches with a canopy. I set up the DSLR on auto-click mode. We got this power-packed panel in a single frame.

10/ The lighting was good, and we were enjoying a relaxed mood. So, I clicked a few profile shots. We called these smiling/laughing ones 'Million-Dollar-Clicks.'

11/ We started walking towards a Buddhist statue that Vishvas has seen in photos. The walk was refreshing.

12/ We had to come out of the park to reach the Shanti Stupa, which is on the adjacent compound. View from the road.

13/ "Knowledge, like air, is vital to life. Like air, no one should be denied it."

—Alan Moore

Saw this on our way to the Buddha Stupa.

14/ It's a cute stupa that has borrowed elements from famous monuments.

15/ A mandatory group selfie with Buddha.

16/ I clicked a few shots of Buddha with DSLR. After I went down the stairs, I looked back and realised I missed a shot. So...

17/ ...so, I climbed back and took a closeup of Buddha's hands. Three Ratnas—Buddha, Dharma, Sangha.

18/ Then we departed the Shanti Stupa. 

19/ For the first time, we crossed the river Yamuna on bicycles. So, we got down and cherished the moment.

20/ In our earlier trips, we have come to the Yamuna bank from the Delhi side. But this is the first time to cross it. 

21/ We found a dabha at a strategic location (where you get off to see the river Yamuna). Time to relax and have some tea.

22/ The dabha offered the best deal—hot mixed pakoras, chutneys, excellent kullar tea. (We didn't know that this is the best we would get on that day then).

23/ Some snacks in the dabha. Each bottle can open a well of memories.

24/ Best part of our ride was the cycle lanes on the Yamuna bridge. It was a dream come true (except for a short stretch where they have blocked the cycle lane where one is forced to join the main road). You can see the roof of the Akshardham complex on the left.

25/ We turned towards Akshardham. We knew that there are no cameras and phones allowed inside the temple. So, we clicked a few pictures outside the temple. The sprawling parking space behind us was encouraging. But...

26/ When we entered the gate, we were given a cryptic message: "No cycles allowed inside the temple." Yes, cars and motorcycles are OK, but not cycles. We were baffled. We asked to meet the manager and started preparing our points: Why are you incentivising fuel-burning vehicles and not a bicycle? Why are you discriminating against the poor and favour the rich? Why are you at the end of a beautiful cycle lane and yet do not have cycle parking?...

Nope.  The security/management team just watched us—four stubborn guys, chatting and relaxing as if they have all the time in the world, with their bicycles— for about 10 minutes.  Then they reluctantly let us go inside and park our bicycles.

28/ We began our return journey. Since we could not cross the road near Akshardham, we proceeded on the bicycle lane. When this crossing bridge came, that too with a lift, we went for it. Balu and Vishvas went up the life with their bicycles first. Before Yogi and I could go, the liftman came and locked it. "Sometimes it stops, and who would be responsible if you both are caught inside with your cycles?" he asked as if arguing in a court.

31/ During the return journey, the sun was chasing us. We were constrained to start late because of the opening hours of Akshardham.  The bicycle lane was a solace.

32/ Again, at a stretch of the bridge, for whatever reason, the bicycle lane was blocked, and we had to join the main traffic on the road.

33/ We bid farewell to Yogi near India Gate. When we were crossing our office (Jawaharlal Nehru Bhavan), we stopped for a water break. And looked at the office building and said: "Nonottoday!"

Until the next week's ride*, cheers!

(*as mentioned earlier, next week, on 28th Feb 2021, we complete our six months of bicycling trips to historical sites in Delhi)