Man Builds Leaf Roof on Bike to Beat Heat
As the heatwave intensifies across Madhya Pradesh, temperatures in several districts have crossed 41°C. In Jabalpur as well, the mercury has touched around 40°C, forcing people to find creative ways to protect themselves from the scorching sun. Amid this extreme heat, a 25-year-old man from Rithori in Jabalpur has come up with a unique solution that has caught everyone’s attention. Deepak Kewat built a roof made of leaves over his bike to shield himself from the heat while riding. His innovative “jugaad” has surprised onlookers, with many stopping to admire the simple yet clever idea.
Amid the intense heat in Jabalpur, Deepak Kewat, a resident of Rithori village, has come up with a unique way to protect himself from the scorching sun. Deepak, who works in a private job, rides his bike nearly 50 to 60 kilometers every day to reach his workplace. To deal with the rising temperatures, he built a roof made of leaves over his bike, a task that took him nearly five hours to complete. According to Deepak, he had earlier tried wearing a helmet and covering his face with cloth while riding, but the extreme heat continued to trouble him.
In a bid to beat the scorching heat, Deepak Kewat came up with a creative idea while sitting at home on Monday. The Rithori resident decided to build a roof over his bike using mango and jamun leaves to protect himself from the harsh sun. Whenever he sets out, he sprinkles water on the leaves so that a cool breeze passes through while riding. Deepak said he could not afford to buy a car, so he adopted this simple and innovative solution to stay cool during his daily commute.
Deepak explained that before adding the leaves, he first prepared a wooden frame over the bike. Wooden sticks were tied around the bike, and a rope net was placed on top to support the structure. After that, mango and jamun leaves were carefully spread over the net to form a roof. Special care was taken to ensure the leaves would not fly away while the bike was in motion.
Initially, villagers laughed when they saw the unusual setup, but many later appreciated the idea and said they might also install a similar roof on their bikes. Deepak added that the roof looks like a small pavilion on top of the bike, a name given by the villagers themselves. He also mentioned that the leaves are replaced every four to five days once they dry out.
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Deepak is often seen riding his bike with his pet monkey, which he describes as his close companion. He said that both of them fell ill at the beginning of the summer due to the intense heat, which motivated him to create the leafy roof on his bike to protect them from the scorching sun. Since then, the duo has been traveling comfortably without worrying about the heat.
The unique setup has quickly caught the attention of people across Jabalpur. Wherever Deepak goes, passersby stop to look at the unusual pavilion-like roof on his bike and react with amazement. Ramesh Kumar, a resident of Ranjhi, said the simple indigenous solution is impressive as it costs almost nothing while offering protection from the sun. He added that he is also planning to create a similar leaf roof for his bike.
Deepak’s innovative jugaad has now become a talking point on the streets of Jabalpur. Curious onlookers often stop to ask him about the idea and appreciate his creativity. Another local resident, Rakesh Sharma, said the innovation proves that with determination and limited resources, people can still find effective solutions to everyday problems.
