Mahindra Monastery Escape 2011

  • Aug 26, 2011
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Ten days of driving through some of the most gruelling terrain that this country has to offer. Ten days of pitting man and machine against the elements. Ten days of having an experience of a lifetime. Ten days that educate, entertain and even humble you at times. Ten days that came together as the ultimate recipe for adventure in the form of the Mahindra Monastery Escape, and our resident off-road junkie Vikram Gour was there to experience this from the driver's seat

There are very few drives that live up to the gruelling and testing route of travelling from Delhi to Leh and then on to Srinagar and finally back to Delhi. The distance is approximately 2600 kilometres.  However most of it is on narrow, broken roads that have survived landslides, been covered under kilos of snow and to top it off, they also have to deal with heavy army convoy movement. It’s not a walk in the park and it isn’t for the faint hearted. The mountains are definitely beautiful but they can be treacherous at times. However it is this element of unpredictability that gets the adrenaline pumping and makes for one of the greatest driving adventures our country has to offer.

Such is the call of the mountains that it has been very hard to resist for most automotive fanatics and driving enthusiasts through time. Back in time there was the Himalayan Rally. When that shut down, the Raid de Himalaya Rally cropped up. Royal Enfield runs the Himalayan Odyssey biking trip here and there are a number of individuals who have set records of driving through the passes or reaching the highest peak that a vehicle can go to. The mountains pose the ultimate challenge and as it is human nature to conquer, we have returned time and time again to take on these challenges at the top of the world. But there is more to the mountains than just taking on a challenge. These gorgeous peaks offer a great learning experience, a chance to find out more about yourself, an opportunity to be humbled and no matter what you hear, those who have driven through these peaks have definitely returned home changed forever.

It is in this vein of experiencing the mountains rather than taking them on as a challenge that Mahindra put together the Monastery Escape. The ten-day journey through the hills was conceived as the ultimate adventure wherein the participants could soak in what the mountains have to offer in all its glory; breathtaking views, broken roads, high altitudes and the chance to interact with beautiful people along the way. The escape was also a chance for amateur drivers to come and take part in a drive that would otherwise never be part of their itinerary.

Over 25 Mahindra 4x4s were commissioned for this trip. The participants had to sign up online and only two members per vehicle were allowed. Mahindra basically provided the vehicles as well as made all the arrangements in terms of paperwork, boarding and lodgings, and of course the many scrumptious meals. With everything in place the convoy left Delhi and headed past Manali to Solang. From there, they snaked their way through the mountains towards Jispa and took a two-day break there. This was a welcome stop for the convoy had to cross Rohtang Pass along the way and thanks to trucks and heavy vehicle movement, the road had disintegrated into a long haul of slush filled with rocks. Crossing Rohtang proved to be a test for both man and machine. The stay in Jispa was also a great way to help the participants acclimatise to the high altitudes. Since most of them were first-timers in the area, this was a necessary precaution. From Jispa the convoy drove out to Tso Moriri and camped by the lake. If there ever was a place that can be termed heaven on earth, this would be it. The entire aura of the place was worth every second spent there. However the journey had to continue and it was time to head towards Leh.

Leh marked the midway through this adventure drive and it also was a great place to have a two-day lay-over. The time spent in Leh didn’t have to do with recuperating; it was actually scheduled so that one could travel around the vicinity of Leh and visit Khardung La, Magnetic Hill and also schedule a drive out to Pangong Tso. Like I said, this adventure had more to do with experiencing the hills rather than racing through them, and the Mahindra Monastery Escape provided for all this action. The drive from Leh to Srinagar was a test of sorts and for the first time on the journey, it put the drivers in a situation of driving a long hard day. The approximately 400-kilometre journey that runs via Kargil through Dras, over Zoji La Pass and into the Kashmir Valley and culminates in Srinagar, is one of the most gruelling drives as roads in most parts are non existent. However the scenery is straight out of a painting. Running a convoy of 25 vehicles through this meant that we were expecting a lot of stops due to driver fatigue as well as vehicle trouble.

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However the drivers didn’t seem to have any issues and the robust Mahindra Scorpios, Boleros and Thars held up their part of the bargain and got us to Srinagar without any trouble whatsoever! Regardless, the long drive ended with a special treat, as all of us were checked into brilliantly crafted Kashmiri houseboats right on Negin Lake. An adventure packed with the luxuries of a five-star trip just couldn’t get better than this. Of course the Wazwan (Kashmiri meal course that involves the preparation of mutton in at least 21 different recipes) served to us after the long day’s drive was the ultimate ending to a brilliant day. With a chance to unwind in Srinagar and enjoy shikara trips on the lake, the Monastery Escape was nearing its end.

With all the participants nice and rested, it was decided that the drive from Srinagar to Delhi would be done in a single shift! The journey is over 900 kilometres and considering the fact that we were driving in a convoy meant that this would have to be co-ordinated extremely well. The drive was completed in twenty-six hours flat and I personally extend a standing ovation to the organisers and Team Mahindra for pulling off such an adventure. Not only did they decide to take amateurs to the most testing part of the country, they also managed to mould them into seasoned drivers in just ten days while offering a brilliant package tour through the mountains. Putting together such a trip is a monumental effort, and the fact that it was carried out in true style made the Monastery Escape even more desirable. Where else can you get the pleasure of driving through the mountains, the benefits of a package tour, a chance to learn the basic skills of rallying, a relaxed schedule so that you can really enjoy the surroundings, the safety of being part of a convoy, and the chance to learn more about yourself all in one single trip!

The experience of driving through these mountains, the greatest mountains of them all, is very emotional. Those who have been up there know this only too well and as the Monastery Escape came to an end in Delhi, it was clearly visible on all the participants’ faces that each of them had an individual experience as well. I personally feel that these ten days have been both a physical and mental journey and if you weren’t religious before you left, be assured that these mountains will instill a little faith back into you.

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