Young boys and girls woke up early and rode their bicycles to the Bidar Fort to participate in the Heritage Cycle Rally on Sunday. They pedalled through the streets dotted with heritage structures, monuments and places frequented by tourists. They stopped at street corners to listen to a brief history and contextual information provided by historian Abdul Samad Bharati and Shivakumar Uppe, convenor of the local INTACH chapter.
The rally began and ended at the fort.
Traffic police had to stop vehicles at intersections and divert traffic at places.
Dr. Uppe spoke about the glorious tradition of multiculturalism, religious and linguistic harmony. Mr. Bharati traced the history of the district from the reign of the Kakatiya kings to the Delhi Sultanate, Bahamani, Baridshahi kings and the Hyderabad Nizam. He also spoke of the cultural revolution of 12th century led by Basaveshwara and other Sharanas. At the end, the participants gathered in front of the Rangeen Mahal, and dispersed after refreshments. Over 100 cyclists participated. Shiva Kumar, a successful businessman from Hyderabad who hails form Bidar, said he enjoyed cycling. “I come home for weekends. But this Sunday has been memorable,” he said.
