meet the women of telangana
on 2 wheels
Celebrate Bathukamma in Telangana
There is no better way to meet the women of India than to attend a festival! Bathukamma is about women getting together and celebrating for over 9 days with different flowers every day, representing unity in diversity. These flower compositions are then immersed, acting as natural water purifiers cleaning up the lakes. This 1700km ride will mainly cover the rural areas and allow us to live with several communities. This experience reconnect us with our power as the mothers of humankind, strengthening our bonds across cultures and generations.
Key Highlights
Immersing in Indian culture with the women of Telangana
- Gain a deep understanding of the Telangana culture with Jai, who is originally from there, and meet local women weavers and artisans. Learn about the Handloom Dying process.
- Discover Warangal, famous for its 1000 pillared temple carved in stone and its temple dedicated to feminin gods, dated from the 7th century. In Indian mythology, they are associated with power.
- Interact with the families of Adilabad, the land of tribals and their artworks, where about 100 families keep alive the 4000 years old metal craft work in lost wax and clay techniques.
- Have lunch with the girls from the Tribal & Social Welfare College, where tribal village girls gets free education and where MoWo conducts some of its motorcycling trainings, Inspire and get inspired.
- Meet the Bikerni of Hyderabad, the local division of the first and largest all women motorcyclists association in India.
Details
This 12 days tour will start and end in Hyderabad. We will go to Pochampally, Pembarti & Cheriyal, Warangal, Adilabad, Nirmal, Vikarabad, Narayanpet, and Gadwal. We will camp in villages, stay at some hotels, and take part in Bathukamma, one of the oldest festival by and for women – a grassroot women emancipation celebration. Through this tour, we will contribute to several local organisations such as Women co-operative societies and shop directly from the weavers & local self help groups.
Price and Bikes
Starts at EUR 2200, including:
- bike rental for 9 days: Royal Enfield Classic 350cc, and fuel
- airport transfers in India
- accommodation (twin share basis)
- all meals
- support vehicle for repairs and bags
- English-speaking local woman guide and support team
- all classes/activities/contributions in communities
- sponsorship of women’s riding training
- 1 ayurvedic massage
- 1 sunset yoga class
- 1 saree
Need to add:
- international flight
- personal travel insurance
- visa fee
- personal expenses and tips
- credit card fees and/or bank transfer fees based on your bank’s regulations
- optional activities: high tea, ATV, boating, dirt biking
Challenge: Easy
We will mainly ride tarmac or cement topped roads but sometimes unpaved when going through more remote areas. Overall, the ride will be relax and we won’t face any major challenge, though the crazy Indian traffic can be one in itself! Awareness and safety will be of utmost importance as usual, and our support vehicle will make sure nobody is lost on the road.
Food and Accommodation Level: Basic
The trip is all about going off the beaten track and contributing to the rural communities, while experiencing the local way of life. So accommodation will really vary from one place to another. We will spend a few nights in hotels and camp for 3 nights. Rooms might be very simple but with hot shower and Wi-Fi access in most of the places. Accommodation is on the basis of twin sharing.
We have included all meals since options can be limited in certain areas. Most our meals will be simple and locally made, with plenty of vegetarian and healthy options. The base will often be bread with lentils or rice and vegetables in different gravies. Indian food can be quite spicy but we’ll make sure everyone has something tolerable to one’s palate.
Team
This trip with be led by Jai Bharathi and facilitated by Alison Grun. Jai is an avid motorcyclist from India, leading Bikerni Hyderabad, a regional chapter of ‘The Bikerni’, an all-women motorcycle club. She has led multiple motorcycle trips to Ladakh, Kashmir, and a cross-country expedition across six nations in Southeast Asia covering 17000 km. Her passion for her motorcycles and inclination towards social issues inspired her to set up Mowo Social Initiatives Foundation which works towards empowering women using mobility as a tool. When Alison starting FreeW, she reached out to Jai for inspiration and they decided to collaborate. With their common values and passion for women self-empowerment through mobility, their partnership came as a no brainer.
What Are You Waiting For?
Next Dates: 12th to 23rd October 2023