印度一男子靠一輛自行車歷經萬里尋愛

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.

近日，一名男子萬里尋愛，從印度騎車到瑞典見妻子的故事在網上吸引了無數關注。有人在Facebook寫下了這個故事，點贊數達到了113,000次。這個故事講述了印度小哥Pradyumna跨越八個國家與妻子Charlotte在她的家鄉瑞典團聚的事情。

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. The Indian was born in 1949 into a weaver family in Odisha, Dhenkanal and was considered an untouchable in the society.

故事發生在1975年，19歲帶有皇室血統的瑞典富家女Von Schedvin正在英國唸書，她聽說有個貧窮卻非常有名的印度肖像畫家，於是專程旅行去印度見他。這名印度小哥於1949出生在印度一個貧窮的紡織戶家庭，因爲種姓制度，他被歸類爲“不可接觸的賤民”。

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.

儘管他家無法負擔學費，他還是成功在新德里的一個藝術學院半工半讀，在那裏，他的才華得以施展，他靠着畫肖像畫出了名。

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. He was possessed by her beauty and she, with his sheer simplicity. Despite their contrasting backgrounds, the pair shortly married, with Charlotte.

兩人相遇後就像所有愛情電影的情節一樣，迅速墜入愛河。他被她的魅力所折服，而她也深深的被他的單純所吸引。即使兩人背景如此的不匹配，但二人還是很快結婚了。

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.

1978年，Charlotte不得不要回到瑞典。她希望丈夫能跟她一起走。可是他表示自己還沒有完成學業，等畢業之後會去瑞典找她的。之後他們通過書信來往維持異地戀關係，他拒絕了姑娘給他買的機票，他只想靠自己的力量去見她。

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.

之後，他賣掉了自己所有東西，買了輛二手自行車，決定騎到瑞典與妻子團聚。從新德里，他穿越了阿富汗，伊朗，土耳其，保加利亞，南斯拉夫，德國，奧地利和丹麥八個國家。整個行程並不是一路順風，這期間，他的車壞了無數次，也因爲沒錢買東西餓着肚子騎車好幾天，才最終到達瑞典。

In total the trip took four months and three weeks before he finally reached Gothenburg, 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.

這段騎行歷時4個多月，到達瑞典邊境時，移民官知道他一路從印度騎過來驚呆了，直到他拿出了他們的結婚照，才順利入境。

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.

Charlotte的父母知道後立刻趕來迎接他，現在這兩人依舊幸福的生活在一起。他在瑞典成了肖像畫大師，還成了印度駐瑞典的文化宣傳大使。