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Kathmandu Saturday January 13, 2001 Paush 29, 2057.
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Pushkar pedals through the world with Nepali flag
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Jan 12 - Energetic cyclist Pushkar Shah, 33, who was refused any
assistance by the Visit Nepal Year 1998 Programme (which had a budget of Rs 50 million)
other than a Nepali flag and propaganda T-shirt, has returned after cycling around 21
countries at his own expense.
"Mine alone was the thing that could not have been done even with Rs 50
million," claimed Shah, who was today recognised by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) for
his "one-man-service". NTB has supplied him with all the necessary cycling gear
and Rs 40,000 for the next episode of his world tour, which will kick off on Saturday.
Since 1st August 1998, Shah has mountain biked around Pakistan, India, Sri
Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Korea, Japan, Australia and
much more. Wherever he went he met the local community, pointed out Nepal’s location
on the map and displayed its exclusive characteristics by means of the flag, post cards
and photographs.
Disseminating the message of peace throughout the world from the birthplace
of Lord Buddha is the main objective of his expensive journey. The grandson of an Indian
soldier gunned down by Assamese insurgents, he wants to see the whole world free from
political unrest and enmity.
He says, "I want to spread the message that peace is the strongest
weapon that human beings have. We should live on this earth as members of one
family."
With a pouch of Lumbini soil in his pocket and a good feeling in his heart,
Shah has pedalled through varying seasons and climates on his "short" journey.
He came across countless people, various cultures and unimagined languages. He speaks only
Nepali and English, which were of no help to him in many countries, so sign language was
his main means of communication.
Some people helped him out a lot. Others not only turned their backs on him
but even hurled insults at his national pride. He says, "It’s natural, there are
different types of people. Some showed great respect, others were annoyed by my
presence."
During hard times, he survived on orange peel thrown out by other tourists.
Yet he has so far spent some Rs 1.5 million. For most of the trip he was helped out by the
Nepali communities living and working in the area where he cycled. They gave him money,
food or shelter.
He dreams of taking the flag he has been carrying around with him during the
tour to the top of the world, once he completes travelling across about 150 countries
within one decade.
On his long tour of over 28,000 kms, he found that even in Asian countries,
only a few people are aware of the country of Nepal. In most instances, he had to spread
out the map of the Himalayas and show the location of the country. "I was shocked
they didn’t care that there is a separate country called Nepal."
He blames this on the present political leaders. "Rather than doing
something to raise awareness of our Himalayan kingdom, the leaders work only for
themselves."
Shah was an active participant in the popular
movement of 1990, when he was shot in his right arm in King’s Way. He is still
waiting for government compensation.
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