When 51-year-old Mini Augustine rode a 500 cc Royal Enfield Thunderbird on a team trip to the Himalayas, it was not only a rare demo of woman power but also a strong statement that nothing in the world could limit a woman’s power if she had the will to dare. And that’s exactly what she did.
She traversed the rough and treacherous terrain of Manali, Sarchu and Khardungla Pass to reach Leh, and make a bow to a standing ovation from her fellow bikers who were overawed by her resilience and determination to defy snow, ice, and mud.
Mini Augustine is bankable! The Canara Bank’s Regional office in Chalappuram, Kozhikode, where she works as a senior manager, would vouch for it. To the Kottayam-born, Coimbatore-raised Augustine, the hard-won confidence which sets her apart today has been an uphill struggle against the thumbs-down culture smart women are up against. Fifty-one is an age when convention readies a woman to hang up her boots in a few years. Not for this officer.
Apart from Mini, there were three women in the 61-member team set up by Royal Enfield last month to participate in the Himalayan Odyssey. It’s true there’s a swell in the number of women joining the Himalayan Odyssey, but it was a first for the organizers to see a 51-year-old woman participating. Fifteen days and 2,400 km. The off road ride which took off from Delhi zoomed up to Leh and ended up in Chandigarh was fraught with limitless hurdles.
There were mudslides along the stretch from Sarchu and Kelong. It looked like the road would have to be re-laid before the riders could continue. Many a gushing brook had to be crossed. More to come. Khardungla Pass saw them caught in heavy and inclement snowfall.
The physical strain the lady underwent could in no way be compared to the falls and bruises she had been through while vrooming around on her bike in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala for more than two decades and a half. The falls and slips on snow-covered roads were one too many. Besides, the zip high up at an altitude of 4,300 meters above sea level was no joy ride. On the contrary, it zapped the life out of her. To bear the biting cold was another challenge. Many a time, the riders had to drive through the night and rest in tents. But Mini persevered. She was out there in the cold to make a bold statement - that when it comes to adventure, there’s no gender inequality. And age is just a number. It was this fierce loyalty to herself which made her go beyond the limits.
Her mind races back to the Chennai she knew 24 years ago. Her husband Biju Paul encouraged her to take the big leap. “Ride”, he said, but never yelled “stop”. But the dissenting notes were many. Today, she cannot visualize a life without her favorite bike. She zips down to her office on it. The Leh dream which was but a spark, blew up into a flame of desire when she bought the Thunderbird two years ago.
The couple has taken the Kolkata-Nainital, Kolkata-Bhutan roads on their bike, enjoying every bit of the rides. Biju Paul is Asst Commissioner, Customs and Central Excise, Kozhikode. Their son Kevin is an audio engineer and daughter Ann Elizabeth, a student.
Also read: Travel | Travel News | Beyond Kerala
