Bike rally drives home message of womanhood pride

Lucknow: Admin of Bikerni, a pan-India women’s biking association, yoga teacher Prachi Jain’s sentiment summed up the spirit of the event. "My profession may define my work, but biking defines my spirit. I am proud to be part of a rally that celebrates the pride of womanhood," said Jain, one of the participants of the 'All Women Bike Rally', organised by Navbharat Times and presented by Sukoon Pardos Okas, in which female riders united in a strong message of empowerment and breaking stereotypes. The riders travelled from 1090 Chauraha, Gomti Nagar, to Celestial Manor, Arjunganj on Sunday morning.

As the rally began at 7 am, some participants arrived even earlier out of sheer excitement. Among them were identical twins Chahak and Mahak Srivastava, Lucknow University students, who turned 18 last year. "Our mother woke us up at 5 am and sent us here so we could see women from different backgrounds come together and be a part of it,” said Mahak.

Along with bikes, scooties were allowed too, giving 75-year old participant Manorama Shukla opportunity to prove that age is no barrier when spirit leads the way. "I prefer wearing a saree while riding because I want to show that women of every age can represent themselves in their own unique way," she said.

Recalling her first memories of riding, Rachna Verma, faculty member in paramedical radiotherapy department at KGMU, said she always used to travel as a pillion rider with her brother. With her family’s support, she later learnt to drive and now she rides with confidence. "There is immense potential in every woman. All we need is the courage to take that first step," she added.

Among participants, several women also rode with creative themes and were felicitated for their efforts. Resident of Rakabganj, Archana Goswami, won a prize in the ‘Meri Bike Meri Shaan’ category for her topic, 'One woman, many roles’. She decorated her scooty with stickers showing a homemaker on one side and a working professional on the other, symbolising the many roles women balance.

Similarly, Shahi Bala, resident of Trimurti Nagar, was felicitated in ‘AWBR Moment’ category for her consistent participation. "I previously won Best Decor in 2017 and showcased an environment theme in 2020 through my scooty. I am very proud to receive this recognition," she said.

The crowd erupted in loud hooting as NCC cadets received 'Mera Best Look' award for their outfit and style of presentation. Led by Anshika Dixit, the group said, "For the first time, we felt this Sunday truly added value to our group life. Through this, we want to state that our dress is our pride and we feel ten times more beautiful in it.”

Chief guest Soniya Nityanand, Vice Chancellor, KGMU, motivated women to pursue their dreams. The programme concluded with the rally ending with chants of ‘Jai Nari, Jai Shakti.’