Satyanarayan Patri’s Facebook post details his bike ride from India to Sweden
A story of a man who made the ultimate journey of love, cycling from India to Sweden to see his sweetheart, has captured the hearts of thousands online.
A Facebook post, that has been liked more than 113,000 times, shares the tale of how Dr. Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia crossed eight countries to be reunited with his wife Charlotte Von Schedvin in her native country.
The epic tale began in 1975 when wealthy 19-year-old Von Schedvin, who was a student in London at the time, travelled to India in 1975 to meet the poor but renowned portrait artist Mahanandia.
A Facebook post, that has been liked more than 113,000 times, shares the tale of how Dr. Pradyumna Kumar Mahanandia crossed eight countries to be reunited with his wife, Charlotte Von Schedvin, in her native country, Sweden, in the 70s
The Indian was born in 1949 into a weaver family in Odisha, Dhenkanal and was considered an untouchable in the society.
Although his family couldn’t afford his education, he managed to gain a place at the College of Art in New Delhi where word of his talent quickly spread.
In events that wouldn’t be out of place in a romantic movie, when the young Von Sledvin met with the portrait maker the two became infatuated with one another.
‘As the stars had conspired, during the course of making the portrait, he was possessed by her beauty and she, with his sheer simplicity,’ Satyanarayan Patri, who uploaded the post to the social media site, wrote.
Despite their contrasting backgrounds, the pair shortly married, with Charlotte, who is said to be related to the Swedish royal family, taking the Indian name Charulata.
In 1978, the time came for Charlotte to return to her native country, and she requested her husband join her back in Europe. However, Mahanandia was in the middle of his studies and said he would join her after these were completed.
The couple stayed in touch through letters and despite Charlotte’s offers to send flight tickets, Mahanandia was determined to meet her via his own means. Selling his belongings, love-struck Mahanandia managed to scrape enough money to buy a second-hand bike and set out on the intrepid journey to be reunited
From New Delhi the love-struck adventurer entered Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria and Denmark, before reaching Sweden
The couple stayed in touch through letters and despite Charlotte’s offers to send flight tickets, Mahanandia was determined to meet her via his own means.
Selling his belongings, he managed to scrape enough money to buy a second-hand bike and set out on the intrepid journey to be reunited.
From New Delhi the love-struck adventurer entered Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Germany, Austria and Denmark.
It wasn’t all plain sailing. His bike broke down numerous time along the way and he had to go on without food for days.
In total the trip took four months and three weeks before he finally reached Gothenburg, Sweden.
Upon arrival he was questioned by immigration officers, who were said to be amazed at his story of devotion after he shared photographs of his marriage.
Forty years later, the pair are still happily marriage, and Dr PK Mahanandia serves as the Odiya Cultural Ambassador of India to Sweden and lives with his wife and two children in Sweden
Her parents welcomed him with open arms and 40 years later, the pair are still happily married. Dr PK Mahanandia serves as the Odiya Cultural Ambassador of India to Sweden and lives with his wife and two children in Sweden.
He has become well-known in Sweden as an artist and as an Adviser, Art and Culture, under the Swedish Government too.
The incredible post has been shared over 82,000 times on Facebook and MailOnline Travel has contacted Mahanandia for comment.
