When Gandhiji went cycling at sixty!

The incident when Gandhiji, to keep up an appointment rode a cycle at the age of sixty and that too without having had any practice before, is related by Puratom Buch in the National Herald.In 1928, Gandhiji had come to a meeting in the Vidyapith from the ashram. The meeting was held in the evening, and it was attended by some citizens. It was decided that Gandhiji would return to the ashram with some one of them by car. Accidentally, it so happened that no car was left at the end of the meeting. It was about 5.30 in the evening. When Gandhiji came out into the compound of the Vidyapith, he had to reach the ashram in time for the evening meals at my cost. “Only twenty minutes are left. How can I reach there in time? Asked Bupu. “What could be done now?”We were also puzzled and began to stare at each other’s faces. Kaka Kalelkar had to go with Gandhiji, looking at his watch which was hanging down his waist, said to me: “Can you bring a cycle?”“Most certainly,” said I, “but …….”I was hesitating to reply wondering how he would be able to ride a cycle at his age.“But ….why?’ Gandhiji interrupted.“Would you be able to ride it?” asked I.“You bring a cycle and then see,” said Bapu laughingly.Immediately two cycles were brought, one for Gandhiji and one for Kaka Sahib.It was decided that they should begin cycling after reaching the main road leading to the ashram. I began to lead Bapu’s cycle.“I hope you will be able to guide me properly,” said Bapu in a jocular tone.“Yes, why not? But do you know it well or not?” I asked. “It is very easy to mount the cycle, but I hope your cycle would not collide with anything.” Both Bapu and I roared with laughter.“No, no, I have no such fear,” said Bapu. “The only thing I have in view is to reach the ashram in time.”As soon as we reached the main road, we helped Bapu in mounting the cycle. I firmly caught hold of the seat from the back and began to lead the cycle after setting it in motion just as we do in the case of amateur cyclists. Gandhiji had begun pedalling by this time. He was confident that he would be able to cycle. So, he said to me, “Now you need not run with the cycle, otherwise you will get tired.”“All right, I would not run more,” said I, “but do you know that till now I was holding the seat?”“So, now, let me try by myself. You go back If am successful,” suggested Bapu.  I let Bapu go alone and saw that he was cycling straight in the middle of the road without the slightest fear of losing the balance.“Now you have passed test and are permitted to go along,” said I, laughing, trying to control my gasping run for about a furlong, leaving Bapu and Kaka Sahib to themselves.Next day, we came to know that bell for the evening meals was just being rung when Gandhiji reached the ashram and that he had unmounted the cycle by placing his feet on the ground like an amateur.I saw then how strictly (unflinchingly) Gandhiji carried out his fixed programme.Even if he had not kept the appointed time, everyone could have easily understood that he must have been detained for some work-more so, because he was the head of the ashram.Gandhiji, however, always insisted on not making any change in the fixed programme. I could understand this from his cycling from the Vidyapith to the ashram at the age of 60 and that too without any practice. Gandhiji was not only strict in carrying out his fixed programme but he insisted on others doing so equally rigorously.He said: “just as the sun, the moon and the stars do their work regularly and without fail, similarly why should we, human beings, not?”