PRAYAGRAJ: Finding it hard to get reservations in trains, facing traffic jams on highways, and dealing with the exorbitant price of air tickets, a couple from Mumbai — Arpit and Shivani Shrotiya — arrived at the Maha Kumbh on their bike, covering a distance of over 1,400km.
Shivani, 28, who is popular on Instagram by her pet name, ‘Naina', is a TV actress. She describes Kumbh as a ‘paradise' and worth taking all the risks and adventures for coming on a two-wheeler.
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Maha Kumbh stories"My husband and I were just looking over the reels on Instagram, and there was so much content showing the magnanimity of this event, we decided to visit as soon as possible. We checked all options — rail, air and even bus — but failing all options and witnessing the traffic on the roads and the connecting highway for Prayagraj, we decided to use our ‘Dhanno' (motorcycle) and headed for Maha Kumbh," Shivani told TOI.
Describing their trip as the best experience of the year for them, she added, "Riding through different states, feeling the changing weather, and seeing new places was amazing. Of course, it was not easy — long hours on the road and tiredness were there — but the excitement of reaching Maha Kumbh kept us going."
More than just a journey, this was about faith. "Maha Kumbh is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and coming here on a bike made it even more special. We enjoyed every moment of the ride, and it's a memory we'll never forget. We stayed here at the camp of Swami Chidanand Saraswati of Parmarth Niketan," she added.
It's worth mentioning here that, like this young couple from Mumbai, a group of seven youths from Kamhariya village in Buxar district of Bihar arrived in Prayagraj on a motor-propelled boat. Starting the journey on Feb 11, they propelled the boat day and night over the Ganga. They arrived in Prayagraj on Feb 13 and returned to their village on Saturday.
While Google Maps helped Shivani and Arpit navigate their way, this group also used the same technique. The only difference was that Google showed them all the meanders of the river in the pitch dark of the night, helping them navigate the river Ganga successfully.
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Rajiv Mani, senior correspondent at The Times of India, Allahabad...
Read MoreRajiv Mani, senior correspondent at The Times of India, Allahabad, writes on higher education in the city. The institutions covered by him include Allahabad University and its 11 constituent colleges, and Allahabad Medical College. Apart from reading books, he is also fond of pets, gardening, photography, travelling and meeting people from all sections of society.
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