“Cycling is nostalgia for me,” says Shantanu Moitra who learnt and fell in love with the sport when he was in the fifth standard. In a candid chat with us for World Bicycle Day, the musician who has composed for films like 3 Idiots and 12th Fail takes us through his life-changing experiences while cycling around the country. Excerpts:

As a child, my first sense of freedom came from cycling. The falling, getting up trying again – as you learn, your parents let you go which gives a sense of independence also. In Delhi’s East Patel Nagar, where we grew up, we used to see every other person travelling on a bicycle, but I never had my own as we couldn’t afford it. So I used to borrow from my friends and take rounds of our neighbourhood. My father was an avid cycle lover. He used to travel 40 km to and from work every day. He taught me how to balance the two wheels. I remember the day vividly when he let me go on my own. It was an important day in my life, it empowered me to take care of myself.

Baba always told me how he made friends from different walks of life while he used to cycle. He and his friends always went to a particular tea shop for chai or nimbu paani on their way back home. He had created a world while cycling and it fascinated me. Just imagine: you are riding a cycle and stop to pick up a jamun that fell from a tree. Isn’t it captivating? All these stories were like a fantasy land for me.

Ironically, I never got to buy a cycle when I was in school or college. Eventually, I bought a car, but never a cycle. When I came to Mumbai 30 years back, I saw cycling as a hobby was popular. That was when I bought my first cycle, at 30 years of age! It made me nostalgic and I realized I was made for cycling. Then a cycling community was formed and, every Sunday at 5.30 am, we used to cycle 70 km, from my home in Versova to Nariman Point. It was a Sunday morning ritual we looked forward to. Everyone in this community was a cycle lover.

Shantanu shares that after completing the music composition for 3 Idiots, he undertook a ‘100 days in Himalayas’ trip in 2016. “I was travelling above 14,000 feet right from Kashmir to Tibet. The perspective I gained from that trip made me realize that I wanted to do it on a cycle. I wanted to see Ganga from its source to the end. Adventure is not rational, one has to feel that urge from within. My fear was that the timing of the adventure (which he undertook in 2021) shouldn’t clash with the music composition of Shoojit Sircar’s Sardar Udham, but Shoojit being a friend assured me that he could adjust, and I shouldn’t let go of the opportunity of a lifetime.”

For the Ganga expedition, Shantanu realized that he had to cycle for 2,700 km. “That’s a magnificent number. I realized it’s a mind game. This time was pivotal in my life – Baba saw me prepping, which made him very happy. Soon after, COVID changed the world, and I lost Baba in the pandemic. I realized life is uncertain so I must fulfil my dream. I knew I had to do this expedition for my baba.”

Shantanu started prepping for the trip in 2019. He says, “Before any mammoth expedition, professional guidance is a must. I got a nutritionist, and got medically checked. For my lung capacity, I practiced regularly at Bhor Ghat, Lonavala’s highest point. I mapped my route on a cycle trainer at home. I started my regime by cycling 100-150 kms every day and slowly the cycle became my greatest companion and best friend. Within 25 days, I reached Rishikesh, and the expedition of 75 days started from Gangotri to Gangasagar. It was a memorable experience.”

- If you are cycling early in the morning, there has to be a taillight on and a helmet light on

- A red light is applicable for all transports, including a cycle. Respect that

- Before you start long-distance cycling, eat light food at least one and a half hours before. And after cycling for say 50 km, munch on a snack bar or something light so that your body has the fuel to continue

- People tend to avoid cycling and opt for a car or bike as they feel it is safer. The first and foremost rule while cycling is to wear a helmet, it’s non-negotiable

- Hydration is a must when you are cycling long distances. Alertness is very important for a cyclist and that happens when you keep yourself hydrated. Also, muscle reflexivity increases if you are well-hydrated

- Need to create paths for cyclists

- If we encourage cycling for the young generation on World Cycling Day, we have to create paths for cyclists – and that is the biggest concern of urban civilization. Any civilized place has cycling tracks. If we want less fuel consumption, less pollution and a healthier lifestyle, cycling tracks are a must in any city.

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Cycling takes care of one’s body, mind and reflexes. Not only does it help build a community but also lets one connect with nature. We must encourage the young generation to cycle more for a better world

No one understood why a music director is cycling down a river. I failed to explain to people that it was an experience of a lifetime. Every pedal was a tribute to my father and no one can stop me from cycling

– Shantanu on his Gangotri to Gangasagar expedition