Ambulance Bike in India

The rural roads of India are extremely narrow. After a few ambulances failed to reach interior parts of rural areas, innovators came up with unique bike ambulances. The bike ambulance consists of a sidecar that has been modified for the patient to lie down and travel. This jugaad is truly a life saving one. 

Source: CarToq

Pune - Hampi - Pune bike ride in 4 days in mid-May 2017

Two expatriate students studying in Pune rode to Hampi and back in their Bajaj Pulsar 180 motorcycles in May 2017. 

Day 1:
They crossed Magarpatta (Pune) at 5.30 am.
Route: Pune - Indapur - Solapur - Bijapur - Hungund - Hospet - Hampi.
Pune to Solapur is superb 4-laned NH65 (erstwhile, NH9) which they did non-stop in 3 hrs 15 mins.

Crossing through Solapur town during the morning rush hour took about 25 mins including a brief stopover for tea and breakfast at a roadside stall. There isn't any bypass to avoid the mess in Solapur.

Solapur to Bijapur had a high volume of unruly local trucks and two-wheeler traffic. It's still a 2-lane stretch throughout. 

Bijapur to Hospet was a comfortable ride on very well maintained 4-laned roads. Hospet to Hampi is only a distance of 13 kms.

Since they had an early morning start from Pune, they could check-in to their hotel (no prior bookings) around 6.00 pm.  

Day 2 and 3:
They explored the ruins of Hampi.

Day 4:
The return ride was through the same route as the onward journey. The timings were almost the same as that clocked while riding from Pune to Hampi.

Affordable Ford Electric SUV Targets 500 Km Drive Range

Ford electric SUV will compete against Tesla Model Y with targeted electric range of above 500 km. It's expected to be an affordable vehicle.

Ford has set its hopes high just like every other global auto brand in terms of commercializing the all-electric mobility solutions. As part of it, the Blue Oval has targeted zero emission based long range EV which is likely to compete against the likes of Tesla’s Model Y.

The first piece in the puzzle has been spilled now as some details have emerged recently. In a conversation with Yahoo, Ford’s Chief Technology Officer Raj Nair has stated that the full-electric crossover will be for the masses as it will be an affordable model. Moreover, it is confirmed to have high level of electric driving range. He reckons Ford has the technology path responsible for getting to a mileage of more than 300 miles (could be above 500 km) while being competitive and affordable.

Ford seems to be aiming at launching this all-new affordable SUV when Tesla arrives with the Model Y. The latter is essentially a baby Model X and sits right on the entry-level slab of the electric vehicle maker. Elon Musk has not officially revealed any information about the Model Y but it is said to be based on a new flexible platform that could underpin further products along the line in the future. With Ford having set its eyes on above 500 km range on a single charge, Tesla could be focussing on doing the extra miles. It certainly has the head start by being a full-fledged EV manufacturer already and has invested heavily already on the future products. Ford’s Nair says the competition is welcomed and more the penetration better will the economies of scale be.

In addition to the development of the electric crossover, Ford is also investing $4.5 billion into exploring the uncharted territory of electrified mobility. A hybrid Mustang is tipped to be introduced by the end of this decade while the F-150 truck and the Transit van are also in the pipeline to get electric versions according to several reports.

Source: Yahoo 

Curated from: Gaadiwaadi.com in May 2017.

Napier Museum, Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, India

The 19th-century design of Thiruvananthapuram’s Napier Museum is an amalgam of Kerala, Chinese, Italian, and Mughal architecture.
(Photo Credit: TSCreationz/Shutterstock)

Summers can be ‘hot as Hades’ in Thiruvananthapuram in God’s Own Country, except in one place in the city—the Napier Museum with its natural air conditioning. Right then, though, standing in the middle of this landmark building in the city, I could hear my friend’s voice in my head: “Don’t forget to look up at the ceiling,” he had said.

When you think of overwhelming ceilings, you think of the Sistine Chapel or the Blue Mosque in Istanbul or the Sensoji Temple in Tokyo. Museums usually do not feature on the list. The only deviation is the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne: its 200-foot-long ceiling is made of 10,000 pieces of hand-cut glass in 50 different colours. At Napier, I find myself with my mouth agape at hand-painted frescoes on the coffered ceiling of one of the oldest museums in the country.

Situated inside a garden spread over 55 acres, the Napier Museum was established in 1857, and in 1880 the old building was demolished and a new structure built by Ayilyam Thirunal Maharaja of Travancore. It was designed by the English architect Robert Chisholm who was sent to ‘Trevendrum’ by Lord Napier, the Governor General of the then Madras Presidency.

​Chisholm conceived a museum based on the local architectural style. However, Kerala’s native architecture has for long been influenced by the cultures of its trading partners—Chinese, Japanese, Arabs, Europeans and so on. Hence Chisholm’s ‘native design’ was, in fact, a combination of Kerala, Chinese, Italian, and Mughal architecture. It can be seen in the Gothic roof, minarets, hand-painted frescoes and extensive ornamentation of the museum.


Napier Museum Thiruvananthapuram
Napier museum’s facade features many interesting minute details like oriel windows that are supported by carved wooden horse corbels.
(Photo by Sudha Pillai)

This dreamy, romantic, and fusionistic style is known as Indo-Saracenic (Saracenic is derived from the word Saracen, an archaic name for Muslims given by the British). Also known as Indo-Gothic, it was the style of architecture used by British architects in late 19th century India. It drew elements from native Indian architecture and combined it with the Gothic revival style favoured in Victorian Britain. But even with so many styles and influences in play, Napier Museum did not end up a mish-mash of a museum. Only to the destitute of vision, the museum might be a garish amalgamation.

Aeons ago, a visitor told a curator of the Napier Museum: “I suggest you remove all the artefacts from this building. Because the building itself is an elegant object d’art and should be viewed singularly without any distractions.” I concur. For the next couple of hours, the rare artefacts, idols, carvings, coins, and paintings in the museum became invisible to me. Craning my neck upwards, I walk around the museum to discover art and history in nooks and corners, arches, balconies, and ceilings. It was like finding forgotten ancestral treasures in the attic. Riches wrapped in fables and fantasies, waiting to reveal themselves to those who come looking.

The museum has three massive halls connected by long corridors. The walls are striped—in pink, blue, yellow, and cherry red. They augment the scalloped arches in banana yellow colour with red, white and pink latticework. It is a cornucopia of colours; as exciting and eye-popping as a chilled glass of falooda on a hot summer afternoon. Wide balconies flank the central hall at both ends, and they are supported by wooden corbels that have intricately carved yalis or dragons. Stained-glass windows stipple the walls throwing up magnificent play of light. The ledge above the doors carries the statues and carved figurines of goddesses. Floral motifs embellish the friezes on the walls. These are interspersed with the design of Valmpuri shankhu or the conch shell of Lord Vishnu—the deity of the royal family of Travancore and also the royal insignia.

By now, there should be a crick in my neck. But I don’t feel it as I get caught up in all the action above. The museum’s vaulted ceiling has hand-painted panels, beams, and cross-beams in teakwood with muted gold-coloured inlays that sparkle in the light. Oriental frescoes of flowers and leaves in yellow, red, green and earthy colours contrast the wooden braggers of dragons supporting the painted beams. The colours on the frescoes seem to change with the light of the day. The frescoes, which have been painted using natural vegetable dyes have withstood the test of time and remain, one of the chief attractions of the museum.


Napier Museum Thiruvananthapuram
Inside the museum, the historical artefacts battle for attention with the vaulted ceiling adorned with handpainted frescoes.
(Photo by Sudha Pillai)

I wind my way up the dusty, neglected narrow stairway to the top of one of the four watchtowers. At the end of it is a breathtaking aerial view of the museum and the city beyond. The roof resembles a well-constructed abstract work or an exciting board game. A closer look reveals the ornamental stone projections of the gable roof. It is truly an artisan’s labour of love.

Otherwise, how does one explain the decorated railing or cresting along the ridge of the roof where it is bound to go unnoticed and unappreciated? From this vantage point, I could see the extensively decorated pediments of the gable roof. There are also bargeboards or decorative woodwork on the rafters projecting from the roof. The soffits are in terracotta, stone, and wood. The building is dotted with oriel windows, supported by richly carved corbels and tassels in the form of mythical horses. This is a characteristic feature often seen in Victorian and Arab (mashrabiyya) architecture.

It is blazing hot outside, but I am yet to break a sweat while walking up and down inside the museum. The famed natural air cooling of Napier Museum is at work. The museum has double walls with ventilators, which trap the hot air, tempering it before allowing it to flow into the museum, providing a cooling effect without any modern air conditioners. Understan-dably, footfalls to the museum increase during the summer season, I am told.

The Napier Museum with its Gothic structure, high arches, intricately carved balustrades, hand-painted frescos and stone ornamentations stands testimony to a cultural sharing from aeons ago. I have always wondered why some of the most famous artworks in the world were high up on the ceilings of monumental structures. What was the purpose? I discovered that the act of looking up could lead to an uplifting experience. I am glad I listened to my friend and “looked up”.

The Napier Museum is on L.M.S Vellayambalam Road in Thiruvananthapuram’s Kanaka Nagar. It is 3 km away from the Thiruvananthapuram Central Railway Station and 9 km from the airport.

Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesdays 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; closed on Mondays.

Content & photo credit: Ms.Sudha Pillai, Natgeotraveller.in

Kummatti festival at Kunissery in Palakkad district, Kerala, India

Kummatti is a festival of colour, fun and light at Pookulangara Bhagawathy Temple in the small, quaint and simple village of #Kunissery, #Palakkad district, #Kerala, #India.
Elephants’ parade with percussion music, art forms.

Coordinates: 10°38′20″N, 76°35′35″E

Festivals in Kerala are held according to the Malayalam calendar. In 2017, the Kummatti festival was held on 25th March.

The closest town from Kunissery is Alathur on NH544 and is about 7 km away.
Kochi to Palakkad via NH544 (i.e. via Aluva, Angamaly, Chalakady, Pudukad, Alathur, Kuzhalmannam) = 145 kms and takes about 3 hrs 30 mins by car.
Alathur to Palakkad via NH544 (i.e. via Kuzhalmannam) = 27 kms (30 mins).

Udaipur to Chandigarh - Best Route For Road Trip, Indian Roadie Preferred Route, Motoring Route, Driving Route

Best Route For Road Trip, Indian Roadie Preferred Route, Motoring Route, Driving Route from 

Udaipur to Chandigarh (Union  Territory and capital of Punjab, Haryana) 

(Udaipur_Chandigarh): 

Option 1: 
Udaipur - Ajmer - Jaipur - Rewari - Jhajjar - Rohtak - Panipat - Karnal - Ambala - Chandigarh 

Option 2: 
Udaipur - Ajmer - Jaipur - Shahjahanpur - Narnaul - Charkhi Dadri - Bhiwani - Jind - Panipat - Karnal - Ambala - Chandigarh 

Indian Roadie does not encourage planned night driving. 

Note: These are user generated best routes. 

Abbreviations in use in Motoring Routes Of India, Indian Roadie Preferred Route, Motoring Route, Driving Route:

RA = Road Ahead.
ROR = Road on Right.
ROL = Road on Left.
NH = National Highway.
SH = State Highway.
NE = National Expressway.  

P.S: 

- Offline Driving Route In One Page 

- Skip Online Navigation Maps 

- Skip Google Maps 

- User Generated Best Routes 

. 
. 
. 

* Motoring Routes Of India, Best Route For Road Trip are initiatives by Indian Roadie (India's most admired road travel and automotive forum for matured roadies) and Marketingpundit. 

P.S: Search thousands of accurate and best route options for road trips throughout India, Nepal, Bhutan in: 

www.indian-roadie.blogspot.com, 

www.bestrouteforroadtrip.blogspot.com, 

www.facebook.com/MotoringRoutesOfIndia 

Car skids on oil spill and hits bus in Kamshet Tunnel on Mumbai-Pune Expressway, 5 dies

Four members of a family and a driver from Virar died after the car they were travelling in skid on an oil spill inside Kamshet tunnel on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and rammed a parked luxury bus. Three others were injured in the accident that took place on Sunday 2017-05-07 afternoon.

The deceased were identified as Dattatray Deshmukh (63), his wife Bhagini (60), daughter Rakhee Patil (38), granddaughter Shraddha Patil (19) and car driver Deepak Waghashe. The injured - Dattatray's son Rupesh (34), grandson Om Deshmukh (2) and granddaughter Sanjana Patil (15) - have been admitted to Lokmanya Hospital in Nigdi, Pune. Their condi tion is critical, said Kamshet police sub-inspector Bhosale.The Deshmukhs and Patils were returning home when their car met with an accident.

According to the police, the driver of the luxury bus, which was plying from Pune to Mumbai, noticed a fire in the fuel tank as the vehicle entered the tunnel. He pulled over to the ex treme left inside the tunnel and rushed out to douse the fire. But as a lot of fuel had already spilled on to the road, the Honda Mobilio that was coming from behind the bus at high speed, skid. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it spun and crashed into the bus, said a police officer. Waghashe died on the spot.

“The highway patrol police and IRB rescue team rushed to the spot with an ambulance. All injured passengers were taken to hospital, but four of them were declared brought dead. The three others are in critical condition,“ said Bhosale. “Traffic movement was disrupted for an hour as other motorists slowed down inside the tunnel to look at the mangled car.“

This was the second time in the day that traffic came to a standstill on the same stretch.Around 8.30am, a speeding eggladen truck rammed into a crane near Kamshet tunnel and fell on its side. As the highway patrol police halted traffic on one lane on the Mumbai corridor to wash away the smashed eggs that had made the road slippery , vehicles lined up.

Source: May 08 2017, The Times of India (Mumbai)

Bengal trails - Pandua, Hooghly district

Photos from a day's drive to Pandua, Hooghly district, West Bengal.

Fernhill Palace, Ooty, India

The first Fernhills bungalow was built in 1844 by Capt. F. Cotton. It changed hands over a period of time till mid-1860 when it was temporarily named Moonesami and served as one of Ooty's earliest country club. During the time of the British Raj, the English elite would flee the hot and muggy plains of the Madras Presidency and take sanctuary in the refreshing cool climes of Ooty, with its expanses of undulating hills and terraced tea gardens.

Fernhill Palace was the erstwhile summer residence of the Maharaja of Mysore. The palace resembles a Swiss Chalet. Its carved wooden bargeboards and ornamental cast iron give it that characteristic appearance. The palace grounds accentuate the alpine look of the place with its manicured gardens, firs and cedars. There is an interesting church like indoor badminton court on the grounds.

The Palace is spread out over 50 acres (200,000 m2) of green lawns, stylized gardens and dense woods with spectacular views of terraced tea gardens and lush verdant valleys.

Presently its a luxury hotel in Ooty named WelcomHeritage Fernhills Royale Palace.

Coorg women are gifted wine makers

Coorg women are gifted wine makers. It is said, “Gift a Coorg woman a bouquet of roses, she will thank you politely and as soon as you are out of sight, she will rip off the fragrant petals and turn it into wine”. So you see Coorg women can transform anything and everything into wine that catches their fancy. Cashews, rose petals, rice, raisins, plums, berries, passion fruit and even hibiscus. Unbelievable, right? 

Variants also include "Pomegranate", "Beetal Leaf", "Ginger", "Sapota" wines. There's a lady in Coorg who also makes the world's best home made "Apricot Brandy". Female guests at family functions love all these flavors without the worry of getting drunk!! 

Homemade wines are sugary, full of flavour and fragrance. Passion fruits form the ingredient of their wine making as these trees with juicy and rich flavoured fruits grow galore along the hills of Coorg, Karnataka, India.

P.S: Content curated from Cheers Coorg.

A day's drive to Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kolar, Karnataka which boasts of the tallest Shivalinga in Asia

The Kotilingeshwara Temple lies in a very small village named Kammasandra in the Kolar district. The temple is extremely famous because of the largest and the tallest Shivalinga present in Asia. More than 2 lac devotees visit this temple every year.

Maha Shivaratri is a special occasion and a large number of devotees make it a point to be there on this auspicious day. The temple can be easily reached from the gold fields of Kolar.

Kotilingeshwara. Image courtesy Mithila

The Shivalinga is 33 mts tall. It has an accompanying Basava statue which is 11 mts tall and is surrounded by a large number of Shivalingas spread across the area. The project involves an establishment of one crore shivalingas hence it is named Kotilingeshwara and currently, there are about a hundred lakh shivalingas.

Kotilingeshwara Temple. Image courtesy pponnada

Quick Facts about Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kolar

The best time to visit: between July and January.Address: Kodilingam Temple Road, Ghattakamadenahalli, Kolar-563121 (Map)Timings: 6:00 AM- 9:00PMEntry Fee: INR 20 per personCamera Fee: INR 100 per cameraParking Charges: INR 30Linga Installation Fee: Starts from INR 6,000

Panoramic View of Kotilingeshwara Temple. Image courtesy Visurao4all

History of Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kolar

This temple has been constructed by Swami Sambha Shiva Murthy in the year 1980. The first linga was installed in 1980 and since then there have been many lingas present in the temple. There is also a huge and tall Nandi installed beside the linga. The Nandi is 11 mt tall and sits over a huge platform.

Within the premises of the temple, there are about eleven other temples for different deities. The first of them includes the temple of Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, and Lord Maheshwara temples. This is followed by a temple of Lord Kotilingeshwara.

Kotilingeshwara Temple. Image courtesy Pponnada

The temples include Goddess Annapoorneshwari Temple, Goddess Karumaari Amma Temple, Lord Venkataramani Swamy Temple, Lord Panduranga Swamy Temple, Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshmana Temple, Lord Panchamukha Ganapathy Temple, Lord Anjaneya Temple, and finally Goddess Kannika Parameshwari Temple.

The Government has declared this temple as a tourist spot so that hundreds of tourists from across the World can come and pay their respects to the largest Linga in Asia. Two flower trees, named one Nagalinga and Cannon Ball are located here, and many unmarried women pray for a blessed and happy married life.

Kotilingeshwara Temple. Image courtesy Pponnada

Poojas at Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kolar

Daily poojas are performed at all the installed Shivalingas by the priests every day. The pooja is carried out with music and drums and all the priests recite mantras as well as pour water on the lingas.

The devotees can also offer special poojas by installing the lingas. These lingas can be installed on any day chosen by the devotees in their names. Regular poojas will be carried out and offered to all the lingas installed.

Kotilingeshwara Temple. Image courtesy Pponnada

Facilities at Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kolar

There are rest houses constructed for devotees in the temple premises. In addition, free mass marriages are performed here every year. This is carried out by priests with drums, music and chants. Currently, there are around twenty weddings performed every week. There is also a meditation hall built for devotees who wish to meditate in peace.

Kotilingeshwara Temple. Image courtesy Mithila

How to Reach Kotilingeshwara Temple, Kolar

By Road

If you want to reach the temple by road, you need to head through Kolar. Kolar is at a distance of 2.5 hours from Bangalore. Kotilingeshwara Temple is a day's drive from Bangalore and back.

Harley-Davidson from Mumbai meets a ship of the desert in near Kumbhalgarh Fort, Rajasthan, India

It was near Kumbhalgarh Fort in Rajasthan, India where a Harley-Davidson from Mumbai, almost 1200 kms away crossed paths with a ship of the desert, viz. camel.
India is one country where one gets to see a $160K LandRover Evoque sharing a highway with a $40K Harley or Indian and with camel carts strolling past at easy pace. It's a country of mixed demographic profile. Come to India. Do a 'backpacking India on road' and also 'be my car travel buddy in India'.

Photo courtesy: Bharat De.

PanchaMukha (five-faced) Hanuman Temple is 2 kms from Rameshwaram temple in Tamilnadu, India

PanchaMukha (five-faced) Hanuman Temple is 2 kms from Rameshwaram temple in the state of Tamilnadu, India.
Here Hanuman is dressed with vermilion. The temple also has deities of Rama, Sita and Hanuman which were originally at Dhanushkodi but were brought to the temple site after the killer cyclone in 1964. A few of the floating stones called 'Sethu Bandanam' supposedly used for building the ancient bridge between India and Sri Lanka are carefully preserved in the temple.

By worshipping PanchaMukha Anjaneyar, one can get rid of enemies with the help of Narashima Mukha, overcome all types of Dosha with the help of Garuda, get all types of wealth with Varaha; and get Gnana with Hayagriva.
At this temple, there is an oil-fired lamp next to lord Ram which has been kept burning for over three decades. Panchamuga Anjaneyar’s huge idol is open to the sky without any canopy on top. It is believed that the 700 years old temple at Dhanushkodi, was also destroyed during the cyclone in 1964 and some of the 'moorthams' (idols) were brought here.

Temple timings: 6:00 AM to 12:00 Noon, 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Assam's 126-km long twin bridges will be India's largest

The longest bridge in the country will come up in Assam soon. Twin bridges running along 126 kilometres will stretch from Sivasagar in Upper Assam, connecting the river island Majuli to the rest of the state.

“The project, running up to Rs 15,000 crores, has been sanctioned by the Centre. A South Korean company is working on a detailed project report (DPR) which will take a year to complete,” Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal told DNA.

The bridges, Sonowal said, will start at the Nitai Pukhuri bridge in Sivasagar, pass via the Tekeli Phuta bridge in Dhakuakhana, from where the bridge will trifurcate and connect Majuli island at the ports at Kamalabari and at Nemati.

Majuli, the biggest river island in the world, was earlier part of the Jorhat district, and is Sonowal’s constituency. He had promised to declare Majuli a district and build a bridge to connect it to the mainland. Majuli has now been declared a district.

Sonowal also said the state is also working on the island’s problem of erosion. “We are working on a project to dredge the riverbed so that it can hold more water. This will allow for the passage for ships of up to 10,000 metric tonnes via the river,” he added.

The CM said that the sand that will be deposited on both sides of the river will be converted into national highways to stop the erosion. Sonowal added that the idea was mooted by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari.

Waterways as a mode of transport has been largely ignored, he said. “The British used the Brahmaputra to transport Digboi’s oil, Margherita’s coal and Tinsukia and Dibrugarh’s tea, on to Bangladesh via the Padma, and then on to other parts of the world to develop a global trade environment. The river is the cheapest mode of travel. If rail transport costs you a rupee and road transport Rs 1.5, river transport costs only 30 paise,” said Sonowal.

Source: DNA, New Delhi dated 2017-04-01. 

HOGs at Asansol Energy (IOC) on 2017-03-26 evening

HOGs on their return ride from Adra to Kolkata stopped to tank-up at Asansol Energy (IOC), on NH2 between Ghagarburi Temple and Kalipahari on 2017-03-26 evening.
There was an Indian and a Suzuki 1000 in the group, too. The others were Fatboy, Fatbob, Street, all from the Harley Davidson stable.

Sandip Samanta (owner of Asansol Energy), an avid Indian Roadie fan treated the 16 riders to hot 'pakoras' and tea.

Incidentally, #AsansolEnergy is an #IndianRoadiePreferredFillingStation.

HOG => Harley Owners Group.

Let's explore India together on road

I am at Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, the land of leopards in the state of Chattisgarh, India while driving solo from Pune to Kolkata.
I love to see India while travelling together with wanderlust backpacking travellers from throughout the world. 3 to 4 persons at a time from across the world are invited to travel with me in my car (SUV or sedan) at a very low cost (we will go Dutch!) in total comfort and absolute safety.
In the process, my travelbuddies get a true feel of entire India, its culture, topography, people, food, etc, etc. I get them to talk to the local populace in villages/ towns/ cities, school students, and also engineering/ business school students at various locations to understand the true India.
Multiple numbers of driving circuits have been planned for all weather round the year drives. However, we strictly do not drive during the night.
For students, researchers, bloggers, photographers, friends, couples, backpackers this will be one cherished and unforgettable holiday. This is not a business proposition. We simply embark on a journey and drive around as friends!

Does this sound interesting? Do you have friends who could be interested in joining me?

Email me on: roadieglobal@gmail.com
Call/ WhatsApp: +91 82408 49300

Connect to me and 'inbox' me on: www.facebook.com/deepbanerjee.marketingpundit.
Also 'like'/ 'join' the Facebook 'pages'/ 'groups' @ IndianRoadie, @ GlobalRoadie.
Follow me on Twitter @IndianRoadie, @GlobalRoadie.

#BeMyCarTravelBuddyInIndia
#BackpackingIndiaOnRoad

Drive to Tungnath, world's highest Shiva temple

Tungnath (12051 ft above sea level) is the world's highest Shiva temple.
One can reach Chopta from Haridwar or Rishikesh. It's approx 163 km from Rishikesh. One can drive or can take a bus or taxi till Chopta.
From Chopta it's a trek of 4 - 5 kms for Tungnath. 

Photo credit: Dinesh Negi

Goudaguda in Koraput, Odisha is home for an Australian guy

An Australian guy has made Goudaguda in Koraput district, Odisha his home.
Friend and award winning travel blogger Shivya Nath had the privilege of being a guest at this quaint little place.

Karnataka doctor's card swiped for Rs 4 lakh instead of Rs 40 at toll booth near Udupi

Toll attendant swiped Rs 4 lakh instead of Rs 40 from a doctor's debit card at Gundmi toll gate on the Kochi-Mumbai National Highway near Udupi around 10.30pm 2017-03-14, Saturday. The toll gate is 18 kms from Udupi, Karnataka.
The Mysuru-based doctor, who cops could identify only as Dr Rao, was travelling in his chauffeur-driven car to Mumbai via the coast. Around 10.30pm, he gave his debit card to pay the Rs 40 toll. The attendant, after swiping the card, gave the POS receipt and and toll receipt to the doctor.
When he received a text message that Rs 4 lakh had been debited from his account, he brought it to the notice of the toll gate staff. They refused to acknowledge their mistake, even after about two hours of the doctor's efforts to retrieve his money.
The doctor proceeded to Kota, which is about 5 kms from the toll gate, and went to the police station there around 1am to file a complaint. He returned to the toll gate with the head constable.
Finally, the toll booth personnel admitted the attendant had entered the wrong amount and offered to reimburse the excess amount by cheque. But the doctor insisted he wanted the entire amount in cash.
The toll gate personnel contacted senior officials of the collection company and made arrangements to pay the Rs 3,99,960 in cash around 4am. Police said the company usually has a daily collection of around Rs 8 lakh at Gundmi gate.

(Source: The Times of India dated 2017-03-14)

Jeep Compass to be launched in India in 2017

Jeep has huge plans for India going forward. While they currently have their CBU range on offer, they will soon be making their products in India. The Compass will be the first product to be made in India and according to a report by Overdrive, the vehicle is expected to start as low as Rs. 16 lakhs, which means it is going to take the fight to the XUV500 and the top end variants of Creta.

When is the expected launch?



The vehicle is expected to be launched in India in August 2017 and will have an introductory price of Rs 16 lakhs ex-showroom, which is way below the 20-25 lakh expectation that most people had. The Compass will be the first Jeep to be built in Fiat’s Ranjangaon facility near Pune. The Compass will also be exported from India to other markets.

Possible positioning:
The Compass is a compact SUV that seats 5. It is based on the Renegade platform, which means it is a small SUV about 4.4 meters long and 1.9 meters wide. It borrows design cues from its elder sibling, the Grand Cherokee. It has the similarly designed front grill and headlamps that give it an aggressive yet macho look. At the back, it will get LED tail lamps. The vehicle is pretty stylish to look at and will surely bring in a lot of customers if the pricing is done right.



On the inside, the car will get a U-Connect infotainment system with Apple carplay and Android auto. The touch screen system will either be a 7″ or a 8.5″ one based on the variant chosen. Safety features will include 6 airbags, ABS, ESP, hill hold assist and reverse parking camera with sensors. Jeep has confirmed that all their products launched will come with the option of 4wd, which means we can expect both the 2wd and the 4wd version to be on offer. The 4wd model will feature a Terrain-select dial to choose between the various terrains.

Power:



Fiat will offer the 2.0 liter Multijet engine with the Compass. This will churn out 160 Bhp and 350 Nm and will be mated to both a 6-speed manual or a 9-speed automatic gearbox. There is no clarity on what petrol engine will make it to the Compass, if any.

Variants:
The Compass will be offered in a total of three trim levels, Sport, Longitude and Limited. Details on the loadings that each trim will possess are still not available and will be known closer to the date of the launch.

Competition:
Given the 16 lakh introductory price tag, the Compass will surely take buyers away from the Creta and the XUV500. This Compass will take on the Tucson and the Yeti though, in terms of positioning. Yes, the XUV, Hexa and the Crysta all have a third row, something which the Compass doesn’t. However that third row is barely used. What you loose there, you make up for in terms of brand value. Also the Jeep will be more capable than its competition, given that we will be getting the 4wd variant as well.

Source: Overdrive