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MAHINDRA GREAT ESCAPE – JAISALMER

February 12, 2005

On the start of twenty eight edition of The Mahindra Great Escape organized by Sportscraft in Jaisalmer Rajasthan on Saturday, word was out that the 80 kilometers route was tough challenge and would stretch man and machine’s endurance skills to the limit.

But nobody was quite prepared for what was to follow, soon after the event, co-sponsored by J. K. Tyre, MICO Bosch and Bharat Shell, was flagged of Mr. Anand Mahindra, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra and Mahindra Company.

Barely, a few metres form the flag off point, Barna, the route started to play up, as one vehicle after another, sought to negotiate the sand tracks that virtually asked to be challenged. Soon a vehicle melee was visible as the over 50 participating 4 wheel Mahindra vehicles pressed to overtake one another, opting to accept the terrain’s challenge.

It took an inordinately long time for the rush to be cleared and so began the first of the route’s challenges to the participants. This is perhaps the third Mahindra Great Escape that ran into rough terrain almost from the word go.

Sandy tracks and sand dunes seemed to be the order of the route, as the vehicles drove towards Khuri. It would be futile to number the vehicles that came unstuck in the sandy route, for there were many of them. On more than one occasion, the tractor had to be employed to pull out vehicles from the sand, keeping the service team on its feet.

And if man did emerge victorious sometime, then machine did bear the brunt of the treacherous route. Few of the vehicle at the re-grouping stage had to be worked over.

All through participants suddenly encountered steep uphill climbs or equally steep downhill descents. It was, therefore, with a sense of relief that the convoy headed for the regroup at Khuri.

Yet, the first half of the route was only a storm in a teacup, For the real thunder was about to begin right after the vehicles departed the regroup venue. Almost immediately the sandy track took over and coupled with that was a steep uphill ascent, forcing the vehicles to drive carefully behind one another, without braking or stopping.

Bang after that came a long and steep downhill descent that had hearts in mouths for nothing came as dangerous to route treachery as did this. Several vehicles had to make more than one stop to tide over the route’s challenge and avail of service help that was constantly forthcoming. But after the participants had rode over the dune’s majesty, then they could turn round and see jut what they had achieved and yes – conquered!

En-route to Khuri., for a brief tarmac respite, the dirt track in the form of sandy terrain began again, peppered with steep down hill descents and even a yawning ditch. Here too, vehicles were consumed by the route’s power and had to carefully drive through it, though not all with equal success.

From Khuri.to Barna again several sand dunes did surface and caused a fair share of bother to several participants as well. On several occasions here as well as towards Khuri , vehicles had to move one behind the other thanks to several steep down hill descents. It was with a sense of pleasant exhaustion that the convoy rolled into Gorbandh Palace where it eventually terminated.

Mr. Mahindra Gehlot echoed the sentiments of most participants when he said, “ The rally was challenging for both the cars and drivers, for not many are attuned to this type of driving and not many cars are put through such a strenuous route as well”.

Like for many others, the rally was a brand new experience for Mr. & Mrs. Rodriques who did participate in a few events, but never in a desert storm like on February the 18th.

The Great Escape has always been a family get-together, as it is a non-competitive event. And it encourages a feeling of togetherness and companionship among all the participants. This has always been the high point of all Great Escapes. It was no different with this Great Escape either.

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