Indian media reports NU bikers' int'l journey

Jakarta, NU Online
Hakam Mabruri's journey and his wife Rofingatul Islamiyah cycling through several countries to go to the holy land of Makkah was widely reported by local Indian online and in print media when both arrived in the country. In the online media, on June 26, cityliveindia.com. reported their journey.

As known, the two NU members from Malang have been traveling overland for 7 months on bicycle. After traveling through the Northern coastal (Pantura) line for a month, both arrived in Jakarta. The member of Ansor Malang and Fatayat NU had formerly asked the blessing of the NU chairman KH Said Aqil Siroj before undertaking their journey.

Then they continued their journey to Sumatra, passing through Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, to Thailand, then India. However, in terms of the Thailand-India journey, both were traveling by plane.

To India, they entered through Calcutta before cycling to Asansol city, Varanasi, and now in Uttar Pradesh. Previously, when in Dhanbad city they were covered by local media. Here's the media report:

"One Indonesian couple has arrived in India with the intention of diverting attention from the current circumstances resulting from the religious fanaticism of the world.

The couple traveled to 13 countries in the same year using a bicycle. The destination of their journey is Egypt, starting from Indonesia.

"Maburi and his wife, Ruffingul Islami, are currently in Dhanbad, India and will leave for Jordan in August."

"Hakam Maburi and Ruffingul Islami said that uncomfortable conditions had been created in the name of religions in the world. Though religion is a name of salvation from evil, it is a teaching to embrace good people," the online media reported. (Abdullah Alawi/Masdar)