By News18,Parishmita Saikia

Copyright news18

You may have noticed that, for years, whenever your mother, grandmother, aunt, or any other woman in the family rode as a passenger on a motorcycle, they always sat with their legs hanging on one side. This habit has carried on through generations, with women born in the 1980s and 1990s sitting the same way. But have you ever wondered why?
Men don’t sit in this manner, so why do women take the risk of sitting like this? There’s no scientific explanation; it’s rooted in a centuries-old conservative mindset, something many may not even be aware of.
Zenith Irfan, a Pakistani Instagram influencer and content creator with over 100,000 followers, is the first woman in her country to travel across Pakistan on a bike, fulfilling her late father’s dream. Recently, she shared a video revealing the reason why women in South Asia — especially India and Pakistan — sit with their legs crossed on one side when riding pillion.
The Origin Of The Custom
Though Zenith refers specifically to Pakistan, this custom is also widespread in India. She explained that this style of sitting is not native to South Asian culture but actually stems from British influence.
According to her, the practice began in the 14th or 15th century with Princess Anne of Bohemia, who crossed Europe riding her horse with legs on one side — a journey of roughly 1,000 miles (1,600 km). At that time, it was considered immodest for women to ride with legs astride like men.
South Asian Tradition vs. British Influence
Zenith pointed out that this was never a part of South Asian tradition. As a Pakistani, she referenced India’s fearless warrior queen, Rani Lakshmibai, who fought many battles riding horseback with legs on both sides.
The British colonial era introduced its customs, and after the arrival of motorcycles, women began sitting with their legs to one side.

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A post shared by Zenith (@zenithirfan)

Public Reaction
Her video has gone viral, garnering over 700,000 views and sparking much discussion. One viewer praised the information shared by Zenith, while InDrive.pk called it a “valuable information”.
Others lamented that though the British left, their cultural influence remains, with one user exclaiming, “Finally, someone said something about this.”