The colours of life through the prism of an adventure
This article is brought to you by TVS.
Delhi-based entrepreneur and healer Pallavi Fauzdar has just returned from an unforgettable adventure. You might even say she is on a high – a Himalayan High. And you would be too if you had an opportunity to ride through one of the highest motorable roads in the world.
Pallavi was part of a group of 11 women who rode the TVS Scooty Zest 110 to Khardung La this year as part of Season 2 of Himalayan Highs. They were led by Anam Hashim, who completed this trip on the Zest, by herself, last year. The selection process for Himalayan Highs Season 2 saw entries from women riders and enthusiasts across 29 states and select union territories.
Eleven women, each riding a TVS Scooty Zest 110 in her favourite colour, embarking on an adventure of a lifetime; each had a different story to tell, and brought back a unique memory from the adventure.
The epic ride was conceived to let the riders discover their highs amidst the Himalayas. The highs of friendship, the highs of seeing never-seen-before colours, the highs of taking selfies at highest point, the highs of anticipation just before D-day and the highs of ZEST – of finally achieving the impossible!
Pallavi, who runs a business for precious and semi-precious stones and furnishings, owns two motorcycles, has previously made the trip to Khardung La on her bike. However, she feels that this journey on the Scooty was special because it helped shatter preconceived notions. “Tough kaam karne ke liye tough dikhna zaroori nahin hai. (You do not have to look tough to do tough things in life).” she says.
To prepare for the long journey, TVS helped the riders get familiar with their vehicles and how these would perform. The girls also underwent medical tests to establish their fitness for the ride.
“When you go towards a high altitude, you have to keep a few things in mind. How does one survive in those environs, and what can you do if something goes wrong? What medicine must one take for altitude sickness? All this was included in the training given by TVS,” says Pallavi.
However, nothing prepared the riders for the brilliant colours of nature that they saw.
“The colours of nature energise you. All the colours you see in nature are present in the city as well, but they don’t give you that energy. As I work in a spiritual field, I respond to colours differently. All the colours of the rainbow are present in nature. The colours changed after every kilometre. When you see Mother Earth, the colours are so pure, and everyone on the ride had their own experience around it. It was out of this world,” says Pallavi.
Pallavi Fauzdar
These memories were captured in a series of webisodes, interpreted by filmmaker Amit Masurkar to highlight how the things we see and the emotions we feel may inspire us differently in different settings. In Colours, Masurkar contrasts the colours we see in the city with what the girls saw on their ride and how each one responded to it.
The urban landscape too is awash with blues, greys, reds, oranges…all in myriad hues. High-octane, high-energy, always on the move. But far away from the chaos, in more pristine surroundings, these colours take on a different life force.
“I felt so connected with the universe, and when I came back I was full of a new stock of energy. I also work better, because if you are physically and mentally fit, you can work better,” says Pallavi.
Watch the video to catch a glimpse of the breathtaking vistas that the riders of the Himalayan Highs Season 2 got to see.
Watch more from Season 2 of the Himalayan Highs here.