Mysore – Rickshaw Challenge

Mumbai Xpress 2016: Days Nine to Fourteen

Judit — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 13:19:51 +0000

Mumbai Xpress 2016 was a great success that all participants enjoyed hugely. Here’s the story of our adventures from day nine to fourteen.

Day 9: Panaji to Murudeshwara

August 15 is Indian Independence day. To commemorate it, the Goa round table had arranged a school visit for that morning. This was planned well in advance and teams Two, Three, Four, Five and Six took part in it.
By the time we arrived, the flag had been hoisted in the premises and the kids were performing the skits they themselves had prepared. The Teams enjoyed the show and rewarded the children with the gifts they had prepared, together with the gifts from Round table. We waved them goodbye just before 10 a.m., and went on our way.
When I had crossed Karwar and was heading for Batkal, I ran into Team Eight who had a technical glitch in the vehicle. I checked it and it transpired that the tuk tuk had had this issue since day four. We suspected that a bottle cap was causing a blockage in the fuel tank, interfering with transmission and dampening Team Eight’s spirits. I called the service team, who promptly replaced the tank that same day. Thankfully, all went smoothly for Team Eight after this.
I’ve noticed that that there are two distinct clans that the groups have formed: the first comprises Teams One to Six, the second Teams Seven to Nine. The first one calls on the support team and staff as a matter of course, while the second one is more self-sufficient. They took care of all their own repairs as they came up and also ended up filming all the hidden treasures of India.
I reached Murudeshwara at around 2.30 p.m.; the first team to arrive caught up with me at 4.30 p.m. Some of the teams visited the beach of Agoda as suggested in our day plan. They found the big Shiva statue and the tower exciting. They also admired the view that the base hotel had. We wound up the day sharing our meandering Indian storied over a few beers at Naveen residency.

Day Ten: Murudeshwara to Mangalore

Driving through the state of Maharastra has made the participants experts drivers. They had negotiated some tough terrains, challenged by heavy rains and bad roads – all this had made them adept at handling any situation. In contrast to Maharastra, the drive from Murudeshwara is an easy task for everyone because it is pretty much a good road all the way.
Udupi is the stop in-between for a moderate challenge; most of the teams visited it and some even tried the food served in the local temple. Time just flew by on Day Ten, so we ended up discussing the next day’s drive well in advance during the debriefing. Teams were well aware that there was to be a school visit the next morning, followed by an 250-odd km drive to Mysore.

Day 11: Mangalore to Mysore

Only four teams, One, Two, Three, and Six took part in the Maglore school visit in the end, because the day is one of the longest day in the entire journey, and the rest of the teams wanted to leave early as possible. After the school visit, the teams were flagged off by the roundtable people.
On the road, I saw Team Nine attending to a glitch, and when I stopped next to them to offer help, they gave me thumbs up to show that everything was under control. They were soon back on the road.
I later learnt through Facebook that Team Eight had had some silencer issues and they had also taken care of it themselves. The long day turned out to be an uneventful one and all the teams arrived well in time and enjoyed the view of the lit-up Palace in the evening. Teams gathered in the Opium bar in the base hotel; it was a rocking session for them.

Day 12: Mysore to Bangalore

The morning in Mysore started with a school visit; we went there with all refreshed and reinvigorated. All the teams came and every one had a super time with the children at school. Many Participants danced and asked the kids to show off their moves. The kids happily obliged.
After this, Team Two and Team Six danced to a salsa tune and the kids enjoyed the small gesture from our Participants. Even though our distance from our destination was not a concern, the day’s drive ended up longer than planned, from having to negotiate the Banglore traffic and find the base hotel. In the end, all the teams made it in style except Team Three who needed some help with navigation to find the hotel.
Team Two participant Hector Gabriel from Puerto Rico had his birthday that day. He threw a party in Bangalore in the base hotel’s new pub space. All the teams went. I heard the next day it had been a wild party: some of the team members could not even get out of bed the next morning.

Day 13: Bangalore to Vellore

The morning in Banglore also kicked off with a school visit, but because of the birthday bash after-effects, Teams One and Six couldn’t make it. Nor did Teams Seven to Nine, who had stayed in a different hotel and decided to have early start. So in the end only four teams made it to the school. The school had a terrific band and the welcome no participant will forget. Such a warm welcome and greetings blew the teams away; everyone wanted to stick around for the rest of the day.
But we had to set off to keep to schedule. It was a smooth drive to Vellore. All teams wanted to arrive and rest early as they were still somewhat worn out from the previous day. The teams had mixed feelings about the last day: most of them were sad that the fun rally was coming to end.

Day 14: Vellore to Chennai

The final day started with a project visit and ended in a school. All had gone accoerding to plan and all teams had made it all the way through the rally. The school visit and the atmosphere the students created gave a fitting farewell to the great rally of Mumbai Xpress 2016. After the school visit, all teams gathered in the Elements hostel to celebrate. Everyone agreed that the countless memories from the 14 days of the rally will be staying with all the participants for a long time yet.

9 Interesting Sites on the Deccan Plateau

admin — Mon, 04 May 2015 09:41:23 +0000

The Deccan Odyssey is on the horizon, starting in just a month and a bit, so to hype things up a bit we want to introduce the Deccan Plateau to you. This large stretch of land, taking up most of central and south India, lies between the Western and Eastern Ghats, the Nilgiri Hills in the south and Aravalli and Chota Nagpur hills in the north.

The plateau is vast, so of course the Rickshaw Challenge Deccan Odyssey won’t go through all of these places, but we do touch on them in the India’s Cup and the Rickshaw Challenge Mumbai Xpress as well!

The Ajanta and Ellora Caves

Photo by Yashasvi nagda

Both UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Ajanta and Ellora Caves are some of India’s most remarkable monuments. Housing intricate friezes, frescoes and rock-carved temples dedicated to Buddhist, Hindu and Jain faiths, the Ajanta caves date back to the 2^nd century BC to 6^th century AD; it has 29 caves and is set in the stunning backdrop of a crescent shaped gorge. Ellora on the otherhand has 34 caves, with grand halls, monasteries and temples inside. These caves are slightly younger than Ajanta, dating back to 5^th to 11^th centuries AD. This is definitely going to be one of the biggest highlights on the upcoming Deccan Odyssey!
The Mini-Taj Mahal of Aurangabad

Photo by Arian Zwegers

Aurangabad might be used as a gateway to visit the famous Ajanta and Ellora caves, but this city, named after the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, has plenty to offer.
The city has its own set of Buddhist cave temples dating back to the 6^th and 7^th century AD, but perhaps its most amazing is Bibi ka Maqbara, a monument that bears a striking resemblance to the Taj Mahal. This white marbled building was built in the 17^th century by Azam Shah for his mother, and is pretty spectacular, especially if you won’t get the time to go all the way up to Agra, this makes a pretty good consolation prize.

The Ruins of Hampi

Photo by Apadegal

At the centre of the Deccan Plateau in Karnataka, the enigmatic city of Hampi spreads out for miles on end, with ancient temples and palaces dotted between rocky boulders. This is another UNESCO Site that the Deccan Plateau can claim for itself. Hampi used to be the capital of the Hindu Kingdom of Vijayanagar, which saw its hayday in the 14^th to 16^th centuries. Even today, Hampi is still a spectacular site for visitors. Hampi is one of our highlights on the India’s Cup Ambassador rally!

The Fort of Belgaum

Photo by Manjunath Doddamani Gajendragad

The town of Belgaum dates back to the 12^th century AD to the Ratta dynasty. Belgaum was renowned for its trade in diamonds and wood in the past, but today it’s still a commercial hub of Karnataka state. Main features of this town, which is one of our stops on the Deccan Odyssey, is Belgaum Fort, built in the 13^th century by Jaya Raya. The fort is perhaps most famed for Gandhi having been imprisoned by the British here. You’ll also find several religious monuments dedicated to Hindu, Jain and Muslim faiths inside as well.

The Qutb Shahi Monuments of Hyderabad

Photo by Vamsi Varma

Hyderabad is one of the most interesting cities in the Deccan Plateau. It has a Muslim majority and almost split to join Pakistan, had it not been in its geographic location in the south of India. Main sites include the famous Charminar at the centre of the old town, and Golconda Fort on the outskirts. Golconda is India’s second largest fort and a spectacular site in itself. You’ll also find the spectacular Qutb Shahi Tombs close to Golconda as well.

The Tea Fields of Ooty

Up in the Nilgiri Hills, the town of Ooty is known for its tea gardens and factories. A drive through the hills offers stunning views of bright green tea fields stretching down the mountainside. The tight hairpin bends would be a challenge by rickshaw, which is why we try to get the Ambassadors to tackle this route on the India’s Cup.

The Palaces of Mysore

Famed for its palaces, Mysore is a city in South India that can be thought of as a jewel in its own right. Mysore Palace is said to be India’s second most visited site after the Taj Mahal, and is a bright and gaudy example of indo-saracenic style. The palace echoes back to the era of the Maharajas, with its interior resembling a jewel more than a palace.

Pune’s Legacy

Photo by Mahurkartejas

Pune was once the seat of the Maratha Empire and grew under the ruler Shicajo and under the British Raj. The city today is India’s eighth largest metropolis in India and the state’s second largest city after Mumbai.
There is plenty to see and do in Pune, like the 8^th century rock-cut Pataleshwar Cave Temple or the Aga Kahn Palace. Perhaps the most famous monument is the Red Palace, built in the 17^th century and a bright red structure in the city.

The Gardens of Bangalore

Photo by Kprateek88

Bangalore, also known as the Garden City, is Karnataka’s capital and also the IT hub of India. It’s a city that had a complex history from the Vijayanagar Empire to the Mughals, the Wodeyars and to British India. Bangalore’s main attractions are the Vidhan Soudha – the Legislative Chambers of the state government – and Lal Bagh, 240 acres of gardens!

Are you crazy enough to come along for the ride? Then join us on the next Rickshaw Challenge. Then get a team together and lets see you at the starting line! If you want to join us in spirit, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter or Instagram to keep up with our latest antics.

Mumbai Xpress challenge: auto-rickshaws finish in style!

admin — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 08:37:13 +0000

The spirit of adventure that brought 27 people from from around the world together to drive three-wheeled auto-rickshaws across India finally culminated at Mumbai’s JW Marriott in on 13 August 2009.
Divided into 13 teams, they braved the city’s infamous traffic travelling from Alibag in the final leg of the 2,000-km four-state rally, which brought together adventure sports, cultural exchange and charity in an innovative format.
Canadians Christy Denike and Jocelyn Turner, who work for the UN, rode the Mystery Machine. When asked what the hardest part of the tour was, they said the Mysore–Manglore route tested their mettle most. Indian food though was not a problem. ”Riding across the countryside passing through villages was a wonderful experience,” said Christy.
The journey from Chennai to Mumbai passed through Vellore, Bangalore, Mysore, Mangalore, Bhatkal, Panaji, Ratnagiri, Mahabaleshwar, Pune, and Alibag before reaching Mumbai.
The participants also got a chance to check the under-construction school being built by Round Table India, the charity CEMS has tied up with, for underprivileged children. Last year’s event had raised over Rs10 lakh. The motorists also visited Round Table India’s workshop for handicapped women at Vellore.
Full article here
Watch – Mumbai Xpress 2009 riding through the Streets of Pune, August 12th, 2009

Clip by Jocelyn Turner from team Mystery Machine

Mumbai Xpress 2009 in the News

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:08:30 +0000

Bunch of media/news about the in motion Mumbai xpress 2009:
Mangalore, August 6, 2009: Who would think one day foreigners from affluent countries will travel in autorikshaws not just within the city but on a long trip from Bangalore to Mumbai? Yes it is right to think, it is happening in front of our own eyes.
Mangalore today received these 27 youths from all over the travelling in 15 custom designed three wheelers. The participants from the 3rd Annual Mumbai Xpress-Autorickshaw Challenge expedition comprising 13 teams, made heads turn as they drove around in 15 colourful, custom-built autorickshaws.
The team arrived here amid high spirit they did not show even an aoerta of fatigue after arriving here from Mysore passing through the treacherous Sampaje ghat and traversing through the bad roads. Answering few questions posed by Mangalorean.com Melanie one of the participants from Australia said “roads are pretty bad but that is how it is in India, it is fun to drive through the pot holes rickshaws are fun to ride especially on a rainy day”.
Full article and cool pics here
More articles:
Mumbai Express: Rikshaw Challenge has reached the West Coast
It’s all about adventure and a little fun

Mumbai Xpress – 2009 Charity Objective

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:13:59 +0000

The Mumbai Xpress – 2009 , an autorickshaw rally from Chennai to Mumbai, is expected to raise Rs.25lakhs for providing basic amenities in rural schools.
“The funds raised will be used towards 10 projects along the rally route and will benefit over 20,000 students,” said Aravind Bremanandam, managing director of Chennai Event Management Services, the lead organiser of the event. This year’s autorickshaw rally would incorporate a new route covering Mysore, Pune and Mahabaleshwar, Bremanandam said.

Charity function held in chennai:

Actor and Industrialist Arvind Swamy along with’ Mumbai Express’ Chief Coordinator Arvind Bremanandam donated a checque for Rs, 10,57152 to Madras Mid Town Round Table 42 in a function held at Koturpuram Adventetious School, Chennai today. This money will be utilized for the schools without any infrastructure facilities.

Watch a clip from the event here