Ratnagiri couple’s 16,428-km ride finds India one big family

Samrat Dambe (30) and his wife Varshali (35), from Mhapral village in Ratnagiri district, rode their motorcycle across 22 states and four Union Territories in 80 days. They called it the Art India Ride and kept a daily budget of Rs 3,500. Their story was published on 31 October.

Strangers from different regions looked after them. A family in Punjab insisted they stay as guests. In Ladakh, a local helped find a room with a heater when Varshali was shivering. In Bhalukpong, Arunachal Pradesh, an elderly cafe owner treated Samrat like a son. In North Bengal, Arun Sircar from Kolkata invited them home, and his wife cooked a vegetarian meal for them though she does not usually cook vegetarian food.

“After travelling 16,428 kilometres, it felt like one giant, compassionate family,” Samrat said. The couple now runs a riding community called Souls of Motorcycle, with more than 700 members. Small acts like these are what keep neighbours together, much like the Punjab villagers who funded mosques for Muslim neighbours.