Hyderabad: “It all started with a bird,” said B. Anil Kumar, a Hyderabad-based cyclist who has turned the city’s roads into his canvas.He isn’t talking about an actual bird but a shape he once noticed in another cyclist’s GPS tracking route. That moment sparked an idea — what if he could use his cycling routes to create detailed images, including the one of Lord Shiva, on the map?Today, 46-year-old Kumar has completed 13 large-scale portraits, covering over 1,040 km, nearly 600 km of it within city limits. From simple geometric shapes to intricate human faces, his art is drawn not with a pen or brush but with a bicycle and a GPS tracker — using the Strava app that captures the movements of a runner or cyclist on the map, producing unique designs.Before he started this unique form of cycling art in April 2023, Kumar was already an active cyclist, often riding with groups and tracking his activity on apps like Strava. But once he saw the possibility of drawing on the map, there was no turning back.“I love maps. I have always been fascinated by them. When I saw that bird shape, I wondered — what if I could do something more intentional, something meaningful?” he recalled.His first attempt was a simple triangle. Then, he challenged himself to create a heart shape. With each new portrait, his ambitions grew.But how does one plan such a massive project?“It’s like those old school ‘connect the dots’ puzzles — only this time, the dots are city roads, and I have to ride through them to reveal the picture,” he explained. He begins by sketching the design on Google Maps, carefully marking features like the forehead, nose, eyes, and mouth. Then, he maps out a cycling route that, once completed, will form the intended image.Cycling for long hours is one thing, but navigating a city while ensuring the route sticks to a precise shape is an entirely different challenge. There are restrictions — Begumpet Airport, defence areas, and private roads that he cannot access.“I have to plan every route carefully. Some areas are off-limits, and I can’t just cut across them. Sometimes, I have to walk or even request permission,” he says.One such incident happened in Nizampet. What looked like open land on the map turned out to be a gated apartment complex. “I spoke to five watchmen before getting access. Once I start a portrait, I can’t just abandon it,” he says with a laugh.Each portrait takes about three days to a week to complete, though some have stretched to 11 days. His longest single-day ride? “200 km in one go,” he said casually as if it were just another morning workout.Kumar’s work isn’t just about creativity — it’s also about respect. For the 395th birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj (February 19), he planned and cycled a route to create a tribute portrait of the Maratha emperor. “I have great admiration for Chhatrapati Shivaji. As a Shiva bhakt, it was a special project for me,” he said.Kumar, who retired as a Naib Subedar in the Army, worked a private job at the Hyderabad Yacht Club until a year ago and now his passion for cycling and GPS art keeps him exploring new possibilities. “There are still so many roads left to turn into art. Each ride is a challenge, but when I see the final shape on the map, it’s all worth it,” he told Deccan Chronicle.
Source link
