Praveen runs an Exhibition & Event management company based in Delhi. He is the first person whom we got at Jungle Mei Mangal to get his feedback since he is an avid traveller. I call him Govinda from our college days.
Jungle Mei Mangal: You describe yourself an artist by degree and a photographer by choice. You are also an avid rider organising the Royal Enfield events. Who else are you besides these? Give a brief introduction.
Praveen: Life is life and totally different from others, I am living life! Sometimes its weird and sometimes its cool but I like life. My philosophy of life is live and let others live. MY important possessions in my life are my friends in the most of the world and they are happy when they see me.
I am married with two kids, a Girl and a Boy, living with my mom in Karol Bagh. I was born in a lower middle class family.
The most important thing in my life is Empathy, whether its for mother earth, humans or any living or non living things. I don’t have big aspirations as I want to be a humble human Being, that’s too much for me, the most important thing in my life is family and travelling, I live for that.
Jungle Mei Mangal: Any particular anecdote from life so far that you want to share? Share your influences ideologies, do you have a mentor?
Praveen: I love to meet new people as strangers are the best teachers.
If you are on bike you will witness many anecdote, people are willing to help when your in trouble and see you with smile when you ride, I don’t have any big Ideology, mine is Simple derived from the movie Bawarchi- It is so simple to be happy, but it is so difficult to be simple. I just try to make people happy and myself happy and comfortable with my talk.
Jungle Mei Mangal: How you got into bike riding? Describe yourself as a rider. What is about riding that excites you?
Praveen: My dad used to ride Yezdi before my birth, when he got married he went to meet my mother to Ajmer on his bike solo. That was before 1976 and I was born in 1978. So you can understand from where the inspiration came from. My passion of course is riding a bike with my camera, I got into because it was a fashion my my college days and its still a fashion LOLZ,
But for me biking is like meditation, I feel good when I ride. When I ride I see the world. Sometimes The world looks beautiful and sometimes very ugly, that’s life but when I ride, I feel perfect despite several faults in me.
As a Rider I am well disciplined and simple, I Follow all the rules. My Silencer is not loud one. Riding excites me a lot as I get to travel for cheap and go wherever I want. My riding gear excites me. My bike excites me. The excitement of meeting new people excites me, The landscapes and mother nature excites me. There are many things that excites me when I am riding.
Jungle Mei Mangal: Where all have you been? Which is your favorite trail and why, any particular pit-stops you recommend?
Praveen: Well on bike I have Been up to Rohtang. Have done 2000 KMS ride TOR with Royal enfield I have done solo ride to Mumbai, wanted to go till Goa but the bike gave up!
I have been to Rajastan several times and many cites I don’t remember.
Jungle Mei Mangal: Ride if you must. How do you go about planning your rides? Do you prefer group rides or solo rides? What are the 10 things you must have as a rider?
Praveen: I prefer solo rides, less is better from groups. The more people you have the more you stop to piss or to smoke or for tea or for lunch or coordinate several other things.
I choose my locations & get my bike serviced and then look for possible mechanics and friends on route
- A Good Bike
- All documents
- Proper Riding Gear (Comfortable and Safe Helmet, Ankle high steel toe boots or riding shoes, Riding jackets, Riding Pants Glasess etc,)
- Good map
- GPS device
- Good Mechanic Friend who teaches you how to repair the bike
- Drive Like No One Sees You
- Respectful towards Nature and Humans
- Courage
- A lot of Money
Jungle Mei Mangal: What is your message to the world today?
My message would be be consume less, recycle, reuse and up-cycle. Be respectful to others and don’t show off.
