When Indians Feared The Bicycle As 'Possessed' And Unhealthy!

When the bicycle was invented in Europe during the 19th century, it was met with scepticism and concern from doctors and scientists, who deemed it unhealthy and dangerous. This very bicycle, now celebrated

for its fitness benefits, was once described by newspapers as a toy that threatened society.

The initial models, such as the “Draiseina” invented by Karl von Dreyse in 1817, featured large wheels and were considered peculiar. By the 1870s, models like the “High Wheeler” and “Penny-Farthing,” with their large front wheel and small rear wheel, emerged.

These early bicycles were notorious for causing falls, earning nicknames like “human-falling machine” and “dangerous toy.” Many doctors worried that riding them was harmful to health.

Despite its rocky start, the bicycle soon became a symbol of freedom and an affordable means of transportation. When women began riding bicycles, society deemed it “immoral” because it exposed their bodies and clothing.

Early bicycles were also expensive, making them a status symbol in urban areas. The high-wheelers often caused accidents and frightened pedestrians, with newspapers mocking those who fell. In rural areas, the bicycle was seen as a wonder that moved without a horse.

Health concerns persisted, with doctors fearing adverse effects on nerves and the spine due to continuous cycling.

The Iron Horse

Karl von Drais’s 1817 invention, the “Draiseina,” was dubbed the “Iron Horse.” Newspapers warned, “It is dangerous for two-legged humans. People will fall and get hurt.”

In Germany, a young boy’s attempt to ride it ended in laughter from villagers who called it a “laughing machine.”

A Thrilling, Almost Crazy Drive

In the 1870s and 1880s, a more advanced version of the bicycle emerged: the high-wheeler, or penny-farthing. With its oversized front wheel and tiny rear wheel, it was unlike anything people had seen before. Many remarked, “It’s crazy for any normal person to ride this.”

In London, a wealthy young man bought a high-wheeler and took to the streets. As he rounded a bend, the bicycle toppled, sending him crashing to the ground. The next day, a newspaper headline captured the incident: “Boy’s Flight Fails, Bicycle Crushes Him.” The story caused a roar of laughter and quickly became the talk of the town.

When Society Branded Women’s Cycling As Improper

In the 1890s and early 1900s, women in America and Europe began riding bicycles, sparking outrage in newspapers and society, which called it “immoral” and “dangerous.” In 1896, a British paper warned, “If a woman rides a bicycle, her dignity will be thrown to the wind.” In France, a magazine quipped, “Women now ride an iron beast instead of a horse.”

In London, an upper-class woman set out for her first ride. Onlookers smiled, and children cheered, exclaiming, “Look, a woman is flying!” Meanwhile, in many parts of India, people believed that “girls riding bicycles would bring disgrace.”

The popularity of high-wheelers also led to more road accidents in France and Britain. Some cities mandated that riders carry a red flag, while London decreed, “This metal beast must be controlled on the road.”

When The Bicycle First Arrived In India

When introduced to India in the late 19th century, the bicycle was a wonder. Imported from England during the British Raj, it appeared in cities like Bombay (Mumbai), Calcutta, and Madras. Initially, it was affordable only for British officers and wealthy Indians, earning nicknames like “the devil’s cart” and “the flying bullock cart.” In rural areas, people feared it as a ghostly vehicle crafted by an Englishman.

Bicycles were expensive in India, with costs in the 1890s ranging from Rs 300-400 while a labourer’s monthly wage was only Rs 10-15. Thus, it became a status symbol for British officers, Indian landowners, and nawabs.

Parsi merchants from Calcutta and Bombay were among the first to introduce bicycles, often riding them on Sundays in white dresses and hats.

Riding a bicycle wasn’t easy. Early models, like “high-wheelers” or “penny-farthings”, had enormous front wheels that were tricky to balance. People jokingly called them the “falling cart.” Calcutta newspapers in the early 1900s reported how “many clerks and babus would topple off their bicycles on the way to the office, providing a spectacle for passersby.” Over time, the bicycle earned the nickname the “clerk’s cart,” as it became the preferred mode of transport for office-going clerks.

When the bicycle first arrived in villages and towns, it sparked a mix of wonder and suspicion. Some exclaimed, “How does it move on its own? It’s possessed by a ghost!” Others scoffed, “What kind of wisdom is this? A person stumbling around on two wheels.” Yet, for many, the challenge held a promise of prestige. “If you could learn to ride it, it would bring great pride,” they remarked.

In the 1920s, farmers in Punjab began using bicycles to travel to the market. At first, they valued them so highly that some even built separate rooms in their homes just to store them. By the 1930s and 1940s, gifting a bicycle as dowry had become a status symbol in many regions, a trend that continued into the 1960s and 1970s. There are even stories of grooms being paraded on bicycles during wedding processions