Foreign auto rajas to hit city roads

Thirteen individuals from around the globe come to India and do what? Drive autos. You heard it right. Auto rickshaw-aficionados from Australia, Germany, Denmark, US and UK are participating in the Sixth Annual Auto Rickshaw Challenge Mumbai Xpress 2012 that kicked off in Mumbai on July 28.

These individuals started on the 14-day, 1,919-km journey from Mumbai to Chennai. The contestants were expected to reach Bangalore late on Wednesday, enroute to Chennai.

Each year thrill seekers from around the world come to India to embark on this adventurous journey. They are given a map, a schedule and then left to figure out the rest of the way. The biggest hurdle they have to overcome is the language barrier.

City Express spoke to one of the participants Richard Gazarian from the US. He described his journey as very colourful, interesting and full of challenges. “We are currently in Mysore. I just visited the Mysore Palace and it’s beautiful,” said Richard.

“I think India is amazing. The people here are very helpful and supportive,” added Richard. When asked about the challenges he faced during the journey, Richard replied excitedly: “Oh, it has been a very challenging journey. Our autos broke down a few times and then there is the constant rain. We keep running out of petrol, driving through the night and most importantly we keep getting lost.”

An unforgettable journey in autos

This 43-year-old American recounts one of the most memorable incident in the journey. "When we were on our way from Pune to Mahabaleshwar, the roads were extremely bad and it was pouring since morning. There was a deep ditch in the middle of the road and it was full of water. We did not see it and our Auto got stuck in it. We had to get down from the vehicle and walk in knee deep water.”

“My slipper came off and I lost it in the muck. So now I didn't even have shoes on. Finally we were able to get the auto out of the ditch and were back on the road. But as faith would have it, we ran out of petrol. Somehow we pushed the auto to a petrol pump. What a day it was," Richard says with a smile.

For Richard and all his team members the journey has been an unforgettable one. They will always remember India as a vibrant and colourful country with a heart. The Bangalore stretch of the Rikshaw Challenge will be flagged off from Bangalore by the Bangalore Metropolitan Round Table 44, an organisation that aims to educate underprivileged children. "Each participant has to pay around 2000-3000 Euros for participating in the challenge. This money is used for educating underprivileged children,” said Nikhil Bagri, a round tabler.

“It is a very interesting challenge that brings together people from different countries and nationalities. Individuals embark on an unforgettable journey in colourful autos," he added. Bagri also said that auto rickshaws are provided to the participants and they decorate them according to their wish.

The participants’ endurance is tested during the journey. Not only physical but the participants have to overcome geographical and language barriers. In order to win the competition, the participants have to rely on the locals at each destination to guide them along so do not be stunned if you see non-Indian auto rickshaw drivers gesticulating frantically asking for directions in sign language.

Apart from the challenge, the contestants have a chance to experience India in a different way. Treading through the beautiful countryside, the participants get an opportunity to taste the rural culture and scenery.