MY WAY IS THE HIGHWAY

THIRTEEN DAYS ON A MOTORCYCLE FROM MUMBAI TO KUTCH UNRAVELS A SHIFTING LANDSCAPE, FROM THE DUSTY RURAL OUTBACK TO LUMINESCENT WHITE SANDS

- EDWINA D'SOUZA

On a January morning in 2021, my friend Brian and I embarked on our motorcycles for a ride from Mumbai to Kutch, hoping to experience the highway life for the next 13 days. A well-worn road-trippers’ circuit, popular for the stark dusty canvas of Gujarat’s countryside and ravishing coastal span, we were looking forward to the state’s sights unfolding slowly, allowing us time to stop and savour them as we liked.

First on our agenda was a quick halt in the town of Kevadia, 400 kilometres north of Mumbai, which these days is more known for its gigantic Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel statue, towering over the Narmada at 182 metres. After a short dekko around the monument, we sprinted off to Ahmedabad, 200 kilometres north-west and our layover for the night. The next morning, we left Ahmedabad’s wide-laned highways to barrell along for seven hours non-stop towards Bhuj, 350 kilometres west, breaking for a steaming plate of fafda gathiya and spicy besan chutney at a street shack.

Most of the ride was smooth sailing barring a bottleneck at the bypass junction for Kandla port, which cost us some precious daylight. We were keen to cross Bhuj by sundown, instead we had to feel our way through the pitch-dark roads to eventually reach our hotel late in the night.