Freshly laid tarmac is such a pleasure to drive, if only the entire
Moughal Road was like this:

Enroute to Kashmir. As you near the valley the abundance of streams and
greenery becomes apparent:

The sights on entry into valley takes your breath away. Scene as you
descend from the Jwahar Tunnel:

…..ring ring ring ring…

The phone alarm woke us up at 0330hrs and quickly we dressed and dashed
out of the room. Stepping outside the hotel lobby we were greeted by
pouring rain!!

Should not have been a problem but for the fact that our cars were
parked in “parc ferme” (PF) near the starting point. PF is set up for
all rallies and every competitor has to get his car in to the PF before a
specified time else it leads to penalties and / or fines and / or
exclusion!

Last night the car had been deposited at PF before 2000hrs and we had an
after dinner stroll back of about half a kilometre from Royal Springs
Golf Course (the start venue) and Centaur Hotel (the night stay). Now in
pouring rain this was going to be a different cup of tea.

A view of immaculately maintained Golf Course:

Called up the official who was in charge of the accommodations (poor guy
must have slept much past midnight but such is official’s plight) to
check if they had any arrangements to transport us.

ring ring ring ring…A sleepy voice answers….

H e l l o

Shekhu, good morning (hah how could it be if you get disturbed) this is
Sudev

Haan Sudev (He knows me because in past I have been part of official
team)

Yaar its pouring outside and our cars are in parc ferme..

Haan, you have to be there by 0400hrs…that is now

I know but will get drenched walking it, do you have any vehicle to help
us get there?

At this time?? No!

But there are almost all the participants here in the lobby…

Let me see what I can do but impossible for me to get a taxi or anything
at this hour!

Okay just tell the start we will be a bit late and I am praying that
rain stops.

Okay…(phone gets slammed)

Anyways it turns out one of the participants family is staying in nearby
hotel and his Innova will be at hotel in couple of minutes. So we all
request him to transport us in batches….and also by the time he makes
four five trips the rains splutters out.

While we wait at the start there atmosphere is rife with speculation
what rain would mean at the top of Sinthan pass, the highest point we
cross today. Predictions range from snow to sleet to slush.

View of sign board at Sinthan Pass coming from the valley:

And same while going towards the valley:

Car #01, the first car, is flagged off at precise 0500hrs with a roar of
modified exhaust and then every two minutes the next one. There were
total of 12 Extreme and 21 Enduro starters.We are #22.

At the start we are given the time card. This lists the speeds that we
have to maintain in each section. To start with we need to maintain
40.85kmph till TC#2. After we start we need to be on lookout for a TC
and not miss it in any circumstance. That will attract heavy penalties.
A TC will look like this:

TC?? Time control. Not a problem if it is on a lonely road like this but
if it is cunningly located in middle of town or traffic it can be a
PITA. And there is space for 10 TC’s on the time card.

Extreme guys have two stages for the day and cover the same route as us.
Linking the two stages are long transport sections. For us, Enduro, the
competition is from start to end, the whole day. TC#1 is the start and
most likely TC#10 is the end. And some where out there are those other 8
TC’s.

Problem is that we do not know where is TC#2. It is somewhere on the
road that we have to follow using road book. Road book lists series of
instructions giving distance of each to 10metre accuracy from the start.
Our odo can at best give us 100metre reading and that too non too
accurately. And we do not have GPS to give us exact distance read
outs….

As already posted a new plan was hatched by me and the next step was to
sell this to my co-driver for life.

ring…ring…ring..ring

She: Hi when are you back? I thought you were away for a day?!

Me: Some issues here that need my presence

She: Everything okay?

Me: Hmmm yeah but listen we may have to go a bit late (she is clued in
on to what “going” means)

She: Haaaaan…I was also thinking of not going. You are busy and…

Me: Glad you understand … but I will manage time

She: I mean Shankar had to go on sudden leave..his father…

Me: Shankar? What has he got to do with delay

She: I can not leave house when there is no servant…

Me: Why? Your saas and bahu will take care of the house for few days

She: Naahin. You guys do not understand the work load I can not put so
much work on ammi ji (saas)

Me: So true so true..

Here I am trying to do a top level transition for a plant that runs 24×7
and she thinks I do not understand work loads!! But this gave me
inspiration of turning the cause of call on its head….

Me: Okay hire a temp but we are going

She: No we can not be away for ten days even with a temp

Me: Lets curtail to four five days then

She: Let me think…

By this time I think the plan is already sold just needs a little
polish.

Me: There is weekend when bahu will be home too. (she works)

She: Haan yeh to hai…

Me: What we will do s go out on 22nd night and be back by 28th.

She: Kind of tight schedule

Me: To kya – lets do it onec in life time etc etc….

Whoopee she agreed and we should be on track for the Mughal Road.

The day before first – June 22 – we rolled from our house at 0400hrs and
travelled to Tohana (near Hissar) where the company factory is located.
A full days work finished at about 1900hrs and I decided that an early
dinner and a bit of sleep was in order before we started. So now we
were to start for Srinagar at 0200hrs. By the time I had a bath and
dinner was over both of us were feeling very sleepy. All the same Alka -
out of sheer habit I guess – started flipping through the TV channels
and since Indian Idol programme was coming both started watching the
youngsters perform till 2230hrs. Early to bed indeed.
The route was Tohana, Munak, Patra, Sangrur, Dhuri, Malerkotla,
Ludhiana, NH1 to Jallandhar and then NH1A to Srinagar, with a small
detour from Chak Dyala to Udhampur which saved us some kilometers as
well as helped avoiding the crowded Jammu city.

Alarm clock woke us up at 0130 hours and we started off for Srinagar,
700 odd kilometers away. During the pre-dawn it was a pleasure to drive
since there was hardly any traffic and excellent road, which is under
widening between Dhuri and Malerkotla. We crossed over to J&K at
0700hrs after a brief stop for chai and fuel at Haveli Jallandhar which
also offered clean and neat toilets. even at 0500hrs! Breakfast was at a
small little dhaba in middle of nowhere before Udhampur.

When we approached Dhuri the road sign in punjabi informed us to take
the right fork for city bye pass. While to me it appeared that the road
more used in the left fork. Reconfirmed with Alka as she can read
punjabi. So despite foreboding we went right. Soon it became apparent
that we were going through the town but I thought at this hours that
should not be a problem. So onward we went till almost the other end
where the railway crossing was closed. Waited a few minutes and then
decided to talk to the gate keeper and following ensued:

Me: How much time?

He: See the train is just coming (pointing to our left and showing me a
light that was barely moving)

Me: There is no bye pass?

He: Yes, you should have taken that

Me: But at the entry this was shown as bye pass

He: Does this look like bye pass?

Me: No what I meant was that the arrow pointed towards left said town
and right arrow said bye pass

He: So what even any fool would have made out that it is not the bye
pass

So I, categorised lower than a fool, had to wait another ten minutes
before the gate opened. Possible lesson: When in Punjab do not read
Punjabi road signs?
The traffic was high when we rejoined NH1A at Udhampur. We kept on
meeting and crossing lot of fellow rallyists and officials while some
took a break. Near Ramsu we see Hari Singh, a former national rally
champion, standing by the road side and stop to say hello. His reason of
being stationary is his Black Elephant, Tata Safari Dicor 2.2, becomes
clear. The vehicle is showing an “service” light and has just stopped.
It did not boil over nor is there any other trouble apparent as the
engine cranks but does not fire.

So I pull out my phone and promptly call up Tanveer (tsk1979) whose
thread on his White Elephant is storehouse of information on Tata
Safari. Step by step he guides me to check if demister has water clog.
Through ECM reset which makes the service warning go off. But no luck
Black Elephant refuses to start. So lend my tow rope for Hari to get his
Elephant to Ramban where he could get it checked from Tata mechanic.

Little did I realise what ECM gremlins were up to…..
Coincidentally a few days prior to departure I had got the car serviced
and thoroughly checked. The next day while driving back from the factory
the engine just quit. For no apparent reason. Ultimately it started
again after the earthing terminal was removed to allow ECM reset. And it
continued happily but I sent it back to M.A.S.S. They could not find
the reason, no error codes showed up but to be safe cleaned throttle
body and generally ensured “all is well” The car had run about 800kms
after that without a problem. This included high speed day and night
driving plus heavy climbs on the NH1A.

From Udhampur to Patnitop we slowly climbed up and then down from there
to Ramban. Again slowly up and up till Jawahar tunnel. This tunnel
(actually two tunnels, one for up and the other for down traffic) is the
entry to the Kashmir valley and isCoincidentally a few days prior to departure I had got the car serviced
and thoroughly checked. The next day while driving back from the factory
the engine just quit. For no apparent reason. Ultimately it started
again after the earthing terminal was removed to allow ECM reset. And it
continued happily but I sent it back to M.A.S.S. They could not find
the reason, no error codes showed up but to be safe cleaned throttle
body and generally ensured “all is well” The car had run about 800kms
after that without a problem. This included high speed day and night
driving plus heavy climbs on the NH1A.

From Udhampur to Patnitop we slowly climbed up and then down from there
to Ramban. Again slowly up and up till Jawahar tunnel. This tunnel
(actually two tunnels, one for up and the other for down traffic) is the
entry to the Kashmir valley and is very heavily guarded and is about
2.5km long. Just when we were about half a kilometre inside…… very heavily guarded and is about
2.5km long. Just when we were about half a kilometre inside……
…….the GV decides to stall!!!! Again!!!

So I switch on the hazard blinkers and step out. It is cold, damp and
windy and very dark. I can see the headlights looming up behind me as
trucks and and Army convoy that we had over taken between Banihal and
tunnel approaches. Soon there are angry horns and shouts. And to this
add echo’s and you can imagine the confusion and din. First I get out
the torch and “#12″ spanner. Open the bonnet and disconnect the earth
terminal. The drivers of following trucks and crowding and some heavy
shouting and honking is going on. Alka is becoming nervous and scared.
So I put back the terminal and crank the engine. Does the engine start? Nada,
nein, certainement pas, nahin, no, ………

The traffic in the tunnel was building up and anxious queries and
unwanted suggestions were being hurled at me. Taking a deep breath I
repeated the procedure but took my time to let the electric discharge
take place before reconnecting everything and turning the crank. Presto!
Hurray! It worked.

Quickly built up the speed to 100+ as I was afraid that this may happen
again. Sure enough the engine cut off again within a kilometre and with
more than half to go with slight incline up. Agonisingly the vehicle
kept on rolling and with bare speed I crept out of the tunnel in to
sunshine and parked to the side.

I see a few BRO and Armu jawan’s rushing towards me.

Q:”Yehi gaadi phans gayi thee?” (Is this the vehicle that was blocking
the tunnel)

A:”Haan – thodi kharab ho gayi” (Yes it had broken down)

Q:”Kharab gaadi ko tunnel mein kyoon laye?” (Why did you take a broken
down vehicle in to the tunnel?)

A:”Andaar aye to theek thi bhai” (It was working when I entered the
tunnel)

Surrounded by gun totting but friendly jawans I opened the ECM and
throttle body connectors and cleaned them with WMD40 spray. I also
opened the fuel filler cap and checked it. I really do not know what
gremlins struck, and maybe got resolved, but thereafter car kept on
moving and I rolled in to Srinagar.

Although it was not perfect weather but
emerald green plants and snow clad mountains in the background was a eye
soothing sight for travellers from hot and humid plains.

Security is everywhere

It is akin to taking and passing an exam. In all motor sport events each
competitors vehicle is checked for paper work as well as safety and
road worthiness. It is called scrutiny. We were in the first group of
vehicle for scrutiny and were listed for reporting at 0800hrs. And
reporting late can attract fine or worse.

We reached the scrutiny venue about ten minutes before our time but
still found most of the competitors already there. You can imagine how
important it is and the anxiety of all to clear this. After paper checks
we were issued with rally and sponsors sticker to be pasted on the
vehicle. This adds a festive look to the vehicle and quite prized by
enthusiasts.

Since we had prepared well for the scrutiny we completed all jobs in
possibly fastest time and were then free to roam about seeing scrutiny
being done for others and interacting with competitors and officials.

Now we were essentially free and so attended to purchasing the eats and
water and drinks for the next two days when we will be keeping crazy
hours without rest for food and drink.

Once the scrutiny was over and we completed our dinner on penultimate
night before the rally the madness began. Sitting in the hotel lobby
were the “experts” and “novices” (like my navi Alka) exchanging
techniques and methods of calculating time speed distance computation so
that they come out with least penalties.

Remember going in early earns you twice the penalties than going in
late. So if you are 20 seconds late you get 20 seconds as penalties but
if you are early by that much you get 40 seconds penalties!!

Earlier in the day I had declared that we will do the rally without aid
of GPS or special rally computer this had ensued:

Alka: Why? We got GPS

Me: So what we will simply not use it

Alka: This makes me do lots of calculations

Me: So you are good at math

Alka: Just because I beat you in graduate and school scores does not
mean you will get back at me always

Me: Nahin yaar, its simple. We are out here to enjoy

Alka: So why not just enjoy?

Me: Aab to declare kar diya. It gives us a fighting chance to win.

Each expert had an advice on how to do this and here the rush to learn
every trick ensured that we were up till almost 2300hrs. We learnt how
to do time entry and how to use constant function and .. and …

We had packed our GPS etc. in a bag and left it in custody of fellow
competitor who was already using GPS. If we use GPS the penalties are
increased by 25%

Late night we slumped in to our beds with alarm set to wake us up at
0300hrs. We had to report at start point at 0400hrs!!