Briton Paul Haran wore his radiant red Ferrari suit, put on his racing gloves, took his road map and jumped into ‘Nigel Manzil,’ one of the 13 colourful autorickshaws that accelerated their way towards the roads of one of the most rugged terrains in India. The third annual Mumbai Xpress Rickshaw Challenge, which flagged off from Queen Mary’s College in Mylapore recently is a unique rally, with adventurous travellers from around the globe piling their wacky auto rickshaws for an action packed (around 2,000 km) journey to Mumbai.

Full article here

Recently back in Mumbai after a gruelling auto rickshaw driving odyssey, Australian travel writer Sharell Cook narrates her experiences in an exclusive to domain-b

My flight to Chennai, where the Mumbai Xpress Rickshaw Challenge would be starting from, was delayed nearly an hour. This gave me plenty of time to think about what the next couple of weeks, participating in the Rickshaw Challenge, might bring.

I felt totally unprepared. Even more troublesome, couldn’t help fearing what I’d suspected for quite a while India had finally sent me insane. What other explanation could there be for me agreeing to take part in an event that’s billed as a rally for the “clinically insane”?  An event that would require me and my team mate to drive an auto rickshaw for 13 days, over 1,900 kilometers and through four states, from Chennai to Mumbai.

Despite living in India for over three years, I hadn’t been game enough to drive a car, let alone an auto rickshaw that I didn’t know how to operate. What’s more, as little as 30 minutes spent in one of those noisy three-wheeled contraptions was enough to irritate my ears and turn my hair into a knotted mess. How would I cope with 13 days in one? I had absolutely no idea. All I knew was that the opportunity was too hilarious and extraordinary to turn down.

Full article here

Mangalore press, all over the Mumbai Xpress 2009:

An auto rickshaw rally titled ‘Mumbai Express’, driven by the motto, ‘freedom through education’, was organized by the city unit of  Round Table – 115 organization under the aegis of Mangalore Ladies Circle in the city on Thursday August 6.

‘Round Table’ is an apolitical youth organization, members of which are aged between 18 and 40 years. The organization aims at imbibing among the youth, the noble qualities like service, honour and dignity, at both national and international level.

The organization, under its motto, ‘freedom through education’, strives to provide infrastructural facilities like buildings, basic amenities, educational facilities, health services and other programmes that benefit the children of the primary schools, the organizers said.

More here

Pic of the week is The Girls

Mumbai Xpress 2009 - The girls from team Mystery Machine

Bunch of media/news about the in motion Mumbai xpress 2009:

Mangalore, August 6, 2009: Who would think one day foreigners from affluent countries will travel in autorikshaws not just within the city but on a long trip from Bangalore to Mumbai?  Yes it is right to think, it is happening in front of our own eyes.

Mangalore today received these 27 youths from all over the travelling in 15 custom designed three wheelers. The participants from the 3rd Annual Mumbai Xpress-Autorickshaw Challenge expedition comprising 13 teams, made heads turn as they drove around in 15 colourful, custom-built autorickshaws.

The team arrived here amid high spirit they did not show even an aoerta of fatigue after arriving here from Mysore passing through the treacherous Sampaje ghat and traversing through the bad roads. Answering few questions posed by Mangalorean.com Melanie one of the participants from Australia said “roads are pretty bad but that is how it is in India, it is fun to drive through the pot holes rickshaws are fun to ride especially on a rainy day”.

Full article and cool pics here

More articles:

Mumbai Express: Rikshaw Challenge has reached the West Coast

It’s all about adventure and a little fun

Go on a ride with Sharell Cook, as she takes on the 2009 Mumbai Xpress with a vengeance!

“I have no idea how I’ll cope. I haven’t been brave enough to drive a car — which I know how to operate — in India yet, let alone an auto rickshaw! What’s more, merely spending 30 minutes in one of these noisy three wheeled contraptions is enough to irritate my ears and turn my hair into a knotted mess. However, without a doubt, it’s going to be one heck of an hilarious adventure.”

Daily Updates here

This Sunday, the amazing Mumbai Xpress will have its inaugural flag-off in bustling Chennai. Come join the fun which will include local celebrities, music, sport tricks, exhibition dancing, and even get a little energized while you are there! Watch these adventurous travelers from around the globe pile into their wacky auto rickshaws and chart off across the country.

Details Here

There’s no escaping the ubiquitous three wheeled auto rickshaw in India. Cheaper than a taxi and more convenient than a bus, their loud buzz can be heard all over the country.

However, your experience of India’s auto rickshaws doesn’t have to be restricted to merely riding in them. It’s possible to take the controls and actually race one! And lets face it, who hasn’t at one point in time, wanted to get into the drivers seat of an “auto”? Better still, you’ll be raising money for charity by doing so. 

The Rickshaw Challenge operates four auto rickshaw races around India. The Mumbai XPress 2009 is about to get underway on July 31, 2009. However, this year there’s also the Tech Raid 2009 (which starts out from Chennai on October 16, 2009), and the Classic Run 2010 (which makes its way through Tamil Nadu, commencing on December 29, 2009). Next year, the Malabar Rampage through Tamil Nadu and Kerala will kick off on April 2, 2010.

The Mumbai Xpress – 2009 , an autorickshaw rally from Chennai to Mumbai, is expected to raise Rs.25lakhs for providing basic amenities in rural schools.  

“The funds raised will be used towards 10 projects along the rally route and will benefit over 20,000 students,” said Aravind Bremanandam, managing director of Chennai Event Management Services, the lead organiser of the event.  This year’s autorickshaw rally would incorporate a new route covering Mysore, Pune and Mahabaleshwar, Bremanandam said. 

Charity function held in chennai:

Actor and Industrialist Arvind Swamy along with’ Mumbai Express’ Chief Coordinator Arvind Bremanandam donated a checque for Rs, 10,57152  to Madras Mid Town Round Table 42 in a function held at Koturpuram Adventetious School, Chennai today. This money will be utilized for the schools without any infrastructure facilities.

Watch a clip from the event here

Cool piece in businessworld.in on the Rickshaw Challenge:

They warn you well in advance: this is an amazing race for the clinically insane. This coming August, 40 teams won’t mind being called that, as they compete in the Mumbai Xpress, an autorickshaw rally from Chennai to Mumbai. For the past three years, The Autorickshaw Challenge has drawn loyal fans to its annual rickshaw rallies, which includes the Tech Raid (Chennai-Hyderabad-Bangalore-Chennai) and the Malabar Rampage (to Kerala and back). Software techie Aravind Bremanandam has even set up an event management firm to handle the show. The victorious world champions get, apart from ‘major bragging rights’ and ‘an outrageous trophy’, free entry into the Caucasian Challenge, a drive-anything motor rally that kicks off from Budapest every year. Says Bremanandam: “Our mission is to provide an unparalleled experience to the rallyists by combining adventure, sight seeing, fun and charity. And what better way to do it than in our own homegrown autorickshaw?” Racers who fall in love with their zany, multi-coloured rickshaws have the option of buying it. For a fee of e900 (Rs 60,000), an autorickshaw, paper maps, traffic reports, road conditions, GPS co-ordinates and even internet access at pit stops, are provided. Enroute, teams adopt-a-village and provide it with school supplies, medicines and the like. Participants are urged to think of the rickshaw as “a covered bicycle with a fuel-efficient lawn mower engine”.