The Cyclist: Jyoti Kumari

Lockdown turned their whole world inside out Fifteen years old, a rickshaw driver's daughter Cycled seven days,twelve hundred miles Her father riding pillion as she pedalled Three misfortunes came like thunder claps Her father broke his leg and lost his job Not able to pay the, they were evicted How now to reach their village in Bihar? One truck driver's price?6,000 rupees! Far too much for the small fund they owned And so, they bought a bike,500 rupees Jyoti passed dense crowds of migrant workers Legs aching, on she cycled, day and night Enduring hunger, thirst, snatched hours of sleep Gurugram to Agra to Lucknow, Lucknow to Gorakhpur, to Darbhangi A little food at camps, or from kind travellers Once or twice a lift from truck or tractor A small respite, beneath the blistering sun Swatting away the flies, go on or drop Uttar Pradesh to Bihar, draining strength Then, home at last, one girl's epic journey Screened and quarantined, but safe at last A father, saved by his heroic daughter The girl cyclist with a tiger's heart