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two friends, forty takes, one adventure across continents
February 22nd by adrianna
Hello May,
I bring you cheer from India, once more on the rickshaw trail. In my beloved city of Chennai (formerly known as Madras), the crazy Rickshaw Challenge crew makes sure every every nut, bolt, dipstick, light, musical horn and mirror is in perfect condition come December every year when the Classic Run happens. I can’t even begin to describe the logistical nightmare that is arranging for dozens of rickshaws— and all the foreigners in them — to travel 1200 kilometres at the same time.
The race kicks off in Chennai, from everyone’s favourite beach haunt at Besant Nagar. (Note: lovely fish fry, too!)
Most of these people have never driven a rickshaw before, up until the day before at the crash course. The first order of the day is for them to find their way from the hotel to Besant Nagar — a 40 minute journey by regular rickshaw (of the public transportation variety); for people who have never been to Chennai, and never driven a rickshaw, easily two hours.
After flag-off, witness every team struggling to get used to Indian city traffic. Horns, blinking lights, cows, more horns, and more cows.
The competition takes place in daily stages of 150 kilometres or so, over 7 days, covering the 1200 kilometres between Chennai and Kanyakumari. It’s not your regular motor rally, this being India.
For one, it’s not a speed freak rally (phew!); the fastest contestants almost never win. It’s 55% competition, 45% others. The main categories for scoring (and losing) points are in punctuality, school visits, mini-challenges, and such. Other things taken into account are costumes (!), charity money raised, sportmanship, and the inexplicable “Bonkers rating”.
I love rickshaws. As India is my second home (and Thailand my third), I’ve come to develop a special relationship with these autos/tuk tuks/bajajs/ricks. Nothing says “I’m in my favourite country in the world” than sitting at the back of a rickshaw, inhaling exhaust, listening to the maddening sounds of madder-still Indian traffic.
Going on the road with the Rickshaw Challenge crew? Phenomenal. I hitched a ride with The A Team, Charles and Craig’s techie rickshaw. They had every gadget I would think of, if I were racing this, and they were live-blogging as they went.
Of course we all knew the point of the Rickshaw Challenge is that things will get pear-shaped. Breakdowns, petrol stations running out of petrol, petrol stations having petrol but not giving any because of power cuts, et al.
But the best thing about the race to me is that it lets you see the side of India that tourists almost never see, the one I love so dearly. It’s mad (literally), frustrating, inexplicable, intriguing, noisy, smoggy, and you learn to love her all the same.
We have to do it this year. In fact, I’ve already signed us up!
Chennai and Pondicherry, India
Music
The ubertalented Adrian Holovaty (yes, the Django hero) — in his home recording gypsy jazz version of Super Mario Bros 2 (chords here)
Photos
Pictures of cows, traffic, and sadhus: Adrianna Tan
Picture of monsoon rain: Peter Caton
Thanks
Rickshaw Challenge, Pimp My Shaw, Chennai Event Management Services, Aravind Bremanandam, Kausar Baig
Posted in autorickshaw, chennai, india, pondicherry, race, rally, rickshaw, tamil nadu, video.