 Saurab Dahal, center, wearing sunglasses, a Nepalese cyclist poses on his bicycle at the Nepal Festival 2011 that took place at Hangangjin Park in Yeouido, Seoul, July 10. He plans to visit all the countries in the world by bike in order to create awareness for the importance of peace, education and a clean environment. To his left is Nepalese Ambassador to Korea Nepal Kamal P. Koirala. / Korea Times photo by Park Sung-hee |
By Park Sung-hee
In the usually quiet weekend streets of Yeouido, Seoul, many people have come out to Hangang Citizen Park seeking to cool off from the summer heat. The usual weekend imageries of parents playing with their young ones, couples on tandem bicycles (otherwise known as “the bike for two”) and joggers who strive to push themselves the extra mile were all present on the 10th as well.
Yet in a section of the Han River Park, the 2011 Nepal Festival that took place on this particular day in order to introduce the traditional rhythm, dishes and handicrafts of the country, was something atypical to the weekend scenery. The passersby who smelt the foreign cuisine, heard the unfamiliar tunes, or just sensed the unusual bustle from the Nepalese community, all came forth with a curious eye to see what the commotion was all about.
But it was neither the vibrant costumes worn by the performers nor the half Nepalese half Korean boy who danced briskly to the music of his mother’s homeland that stole the show. One particular man in his red and black cycling apparel with his sporty sunglasses and bicycle with a sign that read: “World Tour Cyclist, Mr. Saurab Dahal” had people wondering who he was.
“I started my journey in 2002 from the east part of Nepal,”said Saurab Dahal, a 22-year-old cyclist who had started his world journey on a bike since he was thirteen to create awareness for the political unrest in Nepal that caused him his education. “I started with only 80 cents in my pocket. This (South Korea) is my 35th country.”
During the last two decades, Nepal, a nation of 27 million people wedged between India and China, has seen rapid political changes. Until 1990, Nepal was an absolute Hindu monarchy under the executive control of the king. Faced with communist movement against the system, then in power, King Birendra agreed to large-scale political reforms which created a parliamentary monarchy. A civil war was started by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) in 1996 and ended in 2006 only after Maoist rebels agreed to stop fighting and form a political party. Active armed conflict has stopped, recording more than 16,000 deaths and over 70,000 people displaced during the decade-long clash according to the Nepalese government, but the ensuing political upheaval continues as parties still try to maintain power at the cost of the country’s poor.
Nonetheless witnessing active conflict for Dahal made him appreciate at a young age the importance of peace, education and furthermore a clean environment that is not made available to every person across the globe; this is the particular motivation that made him hop on his bicycle to 35 countries to date.
But the difficulties of spreading his peaceful message across the world has not stopped short at the lack of sleep and food.
“I was kidnapped in Pakistan on Feb. 17 in 2005,” said Dahal. “They (Pakistani soldiers) saw the Indian flag on my bicycle and took me.”
Dahal was released after three days of being detained when he established that he was from Nepal and was only trying to spread a message of peace.
While some instances are petrifying, there are moments more humorous.
“In China, I was looking for the bathroom, and in Nepal when you hold up your pinky it’s a signal for the bathroom,” said Dahal through a translator at the festival. “But the Chinese man gave me a cup of tea instead! Apparently that’s what the gesture means there.”
Dahal plans to continue on his voyage to the remaining nations by 2020. His next stop is Japan.
When questioned about the absence of family in his life due to his long journey, Dahal said that he kept in touch via various social networks, but this yearning for home and family has made him only more determined to carry on with his expedition.
“I miss Nepal and my family. I am the smallest one. I have three brothers and four sisters, but we keep in touch through Skype and facebook,” said Dahal. “But this (longing for family) has only made me stronger. And I will continue.”
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