Chennai, April 05: The 14-day rally will give the participants an opportunity to see the entirely unknown parts of India
What will be the ideal mode of transport when you head out to see the world? A rickety autoriskshaw? That’s what a team of adventurers who will be making an epic 2,000-km autorickshaw rally through Tamil Nadu and Kerala believe.
The rally, flagged off here on Sunday, features participants from the U.K., Egypt, Austria, Singapore and Hungary. The ubiquitous autorickshaw, known as a ‘tuk-tuk’ in some parts of the world, will be used to go right off the standard tourist trail and reach out to the underexposed parts of India.
“It is a way of getting out of your personal cocoon and the mindset of planned holidays,” said Karthik Seetharaman, who is part of one of the six participating teams. “The autorickshaws will have to take 150 to 200 km every day during the trip. We are actually looking forward to breakdowns. It will give us a chance to interact with local people.”
The 14-day rally will give the participants an opportunity to see the entirely unknown parts of India. It will offer them a chance to observe how the fishing industry works in the idyllic costal villages of Kerala and to sleep under the stars on the coffee plantations on the Yercaud hills. Adrianna Tan, who runs a Singapore-based start-up, said “The autorickshaw is iconic and symbolic of India. People of all classes identify with it. Besides, there are villages where even buses won’t stop. With an autorickshaw, you can go anywhere.”
She will be attempting an interesting social media experiment as part of the trip. Through a live updating blog, tweets and videocasts, she says her journey might serve as an educational tool for others too. Pointing out that http://rickrollshaw.com/ will act as an instantaneous scrapbook; Ms. Tan said “The trip will be a good way to let people see a side of India which they normally never get to see. It will be like following someone else’s journey.”
–Agencies–