Pandian, a septuagenarian, cycled all the way from Chennai to Nanguneri in Tirunelveli district during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown, surprising family members and villagers.
The 73-year-old started from Chennai on June 23 and reached his village Deivanayagaperi on July 1. He then isolated himself for two weeks in the local Sudalaimadan temple. On July 15, he entered his house.
“I have a cell phone. But whenever my wife, who stays with my son in Chennai, called, I would not pick up, because she would ask me to come back. There were 75 missed calls from her,” said Mr. Pandian, who works as a cashier in a hotel in Changanassery, Kerala.
He had come to Chennai to see his son who was not keeping well. The lockdown, however, forced him to remain in his son’s house. Mr. Pandian, who did not know how to get an e-pass, cycled to Tindivanam after receiving information that a bus would depart for Tirunelveli from there.
“But there was no carrier in the bus to keep my cycle. I cycled further to Villupuram and there was no bus there either. Someone saw me waiting for a bus and gave me a bottle of water and ₹50,” said Mr. Pandian.
In Ulundurpet, help came from a hotel owner who was a native of Mr. Pandian’s village. “A lot of people from my area run hotels in several places. Jayaraman was one among them. He offered me food, but I just had a cup of coffee. He then gave me ₹1,000 for expenses on the way,” recalled Mr. Pandian.
He reached Tiruchi in a vehicle carrying vegetables. He resumed cycling thereafter and reached Viralimalai, where a tea stall owner came forward to help him. “He let me sleep outside his stall and asked nearby shopowners to take care of me,” said Mr. Pandian.
“There is no dearth of help,” he added.
He had to continue cycling even when it was raining in Madurai and neighbouring areas. Heavy winds in Sattur and Kovilpatti forced him to walk, pushing his cycle along.
“I somehow reached Tirunelveli and spent the night at the new bus stand. I reached my village the next day,” he said.
