Story: Nikhil Raghavan
The sheer power of 4-wheel drive. The grit and determination of a bunch of adventurers. The never-say-die Jeeps. The treacherous sand bed of the mighty Palar River. Hot, blazing Chennai sun.
This combination of guts and glory exemplified the second edition of the annual event, The Palar Challenge organized by Jeep Thrills. Jeep Thrills is India ’s first and only Internet forum dedicated to Jeeps, 4WDs and Off-Road Events. Established in March 2005 the forum brings together 4WD lovers, collectors and enthusiasts from across the country, and the members hold monthly off-road events, where they take their 4WDs off the road and challenge their vehicles and themselves to the maximum.
“We have a strength of 400 members, covering a variety of 4WDs imported, assembled and manufactured in India. Every year during the 2nd Weekend of August, we organize a 100kms drive for 4WDs (with 2 speed transfer case) on the Palar Riverbed in Tamil Nadu. This event spans over 2 days,” says Arkaprava Datta, one of the founding members of Jeep Thrills and a keen and enthusiastic off-roader.
The Palar River which rises in Karnataka and courses through parts of Andhra Pradesh before winding across Tamil Nadu on its way to the Bay of Bengal is partly dry during most parts of the year. The riverbed forms an ideal hunting ground for both legal and illegal sand quarrying. Consequently, with its undulating and constantly changing topography, the Palar River bed attracts the adventurous Jeep Thrills members very often for their Off Roading activities. In fact, last year Jeep Thrills launched their inaugural annual event The Palar Challenge and found that the challenges encountered on the river bed was like none other terrains in the wilderness. Says Arkaprava, “Every time we go to the Palar River-bed, the terrain is different. Each occasion is a new experience for Jeep Thrills members. Compared to the granite quarry runs, the sand dunes are treacherous and punishes boht man and machine.”
The Palar Challenge is a team based competitive Trial Event where participants are divided into random teams and compete with each other. Jeep Thrills would like to emphasise the fact that the Palar Challenge is different from Cross Country and Raid-Rallies. The Palar Challenge promotes ecologically friendly driving techniques and encourages team based outdoor activities.
The 2007 event
This year, The Palar Challenge was held in late August under still hot Madras skies. Day One started with a Lec-Dem of Sand Driving Techniques and Ascending and Descending Techniques.
The participating vehicles included MG410, 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80, CJ3B –Petrol (F4-134), MM540X4, CJ3B –Diesel (CJ340DP & CL340DP), MM540s and CJ3B –Diesels and CJ3B –Petrol, CJ500D, Nissan patrol, MG413W, CJ3B –Diesel (CJ340DP & CL340DP).
The two teams were allocated a sand quarry each to practice for 15 minutes and then they progressed into the Event. The first two sand quarries were scored for technical driving skills and errors were penalized.
The next obstacle was a 3 storey sand wall followed by a water obstacle through which participants demonstrated fording and driving in deep water (500mm-700mm).
Day Two started with a brief sand drive and then a Winching and Recovery Techniques Demo. Then they proceeded to a cross-country section of rapid short to medium climbs.
This was followed by two team events:
The ‘Tyre Changing without a Jack’ (or any lifting device for that matter) was won by Delhi JEEPers on a MG410 - Sudheer Kashyap, Laxman Vishwanath, Adhiraaj Singh, Vidhyun Singh & Sarvinder Singh.
The ‘Vehicle Recovery’ with two rear heels dug in was won by Uday Bhan Singh (UBS), Rajamohan, Rajkumar, Rajesh and Srinath. Each team picked up three vehicles from a lot and had to use two 4WDs to pull out one 4WD.
The Grand Finale to The Palar Challenge 2007 was a timed run through a sand quarry consisting of 2 major Descents and 2 major Climbs, the final climb had an approach filled with about 500mm water; this slowed down all the vehicles.
Since most of the participating vehicles were from Mahindra & Mahindra, the company had sent one of their senior managers, Mr. Sudheer Kashyap as an observer for this event. M&M also sponsored the Trophies for this year’s Challenge.
The sheer power of 4-wheel drive. The grit and determination of a bunch of adventurers. The never-say-die Jeeps. The treacherous sand bed of the mighty Palar River. Hot, blazing Chennai sun.
This combination of guts and glory exemplified the second edition of the annual event, The Palar Challenge organized by Jeep Thrills. Jeep Thrills is India ’s first and only Internet forum dedicated to Jeeps, 4WDs and Off-Road Events. Established in March 2005 the forum brings together 4WD lovers, collectors and enthusiasts from across the country, and the members hold monthly off-road events, where they take their 4WDs off the road and challenge their vehicles and themselves to the maximum.
“We have a strength of 400 members, covering a variety of 4WDs imported, assembled and manufactured in India. Every year during the 2nd Weekend of August, we organize a 100kms drive for 4WDs (with 2 speed transfer case) on the Palar Riverbed in Tamil Nadu. This event spans over 2 days,” says Arkaprava Datta, one of the founding members of Jeep Thrills and a keen and enthusiastic off-roader.
The Palar River which rises in Karnataka and courses through parts of Andhra Pradesh before winding across Tamil Nadu on its way to the Bay of Bengal is partly dry during most parts of the year. The riverbed forms an ideal hunting ground for both legal and illegal sand quarrying. Consequently, with its undulating and constantly changing topography, the Palar River bed attracts the adventurous Jeep Thrills members very often for their Off Roading activities. In fact, last year Jeep Thrills launched their inaugural annual event The Palar Challenge and found that the challenges encountered on the river bed was like none other terrains in the wilderness. Says Arkaprava, “Every time we go to the Palar River-bed, the terrain is different. Each occasion is a new experience for Jeep Thrills members. Compared to the granite quarry runs, the sand dunes are treacherous and punishes boht man and machine.”
The Palar Challenge is a team based competitive Trial Event where participants are divided into random teams and compete with each other. Jeep Thrills would like to emphasise the fact that the Palar Challenge is different from Cross Country and Raid-Rallies. The Palar Challenge promotes ecologically friendly driving techniques and encourages team based outdoor activities.
The 2007 event
This year, The Palar Challenge was held in late August under still hot Madras skies. Day One started with a Lec-Dem of Sand Driving Techniques and Ascending and Descending Techniques.
The participating vehicles included MG410, 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser FZJ80, CJ3B –Petrol (F4-134), MM540X4, CJ3B –Diesel (CJ340DP & CL340DP), MM540s and CJ3B –Diesels and CJ3B –Petrol, CJ500D, Nissan patrol, MG413W, CJ3B –Diesel (CJ340DP & CL340DP).
The two teams were allocated a sand quarry each to practice for 15 minutes and then they progressed into the Event. The first two sand quarries were scored for technical driving skills and errors were penalized.
The next obstacle was a 3 storey sand wall followed by a water obstacle through which participants demonstrated fording and driving in deep water (500mm-700mm).
Day Two started with a brief sand drive and then a Winching and Recovery Techniques Demo. Then they proceeded to a cross-country section of rapid short to medium climbs.
This was followed by two team events:
The ‘Tyre Changing without a Jack’ (or any lifting device for that matter) was won by Delhi JEEPers on a MG410 - Sudheer Kashyap, Laxman Vishwanath, Adhiraaj Singh, Vidhyun Singh & Sarvinder Singh.
The ‘Vehicle Recovery’ with two rear heels dug in was won by Uday Bhan Singh (UBS), Rajamohan, Rajkumar, Rajesh and Srinath. Each team picked up three vehicles from a lot and had to use two 4WDs to pull out one 4WD.
The Grand Finale to The Palar Challenge 2007 was a timed run through a sand quarry consisting of 2 major Descents and 2 major Climbs, the final climb had an approach filled with about 500mm water; this slowed down all the vehicles.
Since most of the participating vehicles were from Mahindra & Mahindra, the company had sent one of their senior managers, Mr. Sudheer Kashyap as an observer for this event. M&M also sponsored the Trophies for this year’s Challenge.
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