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DHABHAR.BEHRAM · 7th August 2007, 17:17

Ok guys, did a little homework yesterday at home, so here goes my experiences of event no 5 (1984).

I had joined PAL as a Junior Engineer in their R&D Department so after a lot of deliberations (and some not too good reactions from my Bosses at my insistence that I be allowed to go for the Himalayan Rally which they felt was a waste of time), I finally managed to pull-off being a part of the PAL service team. My last year's M&M vehicle MAR2840 was now fitted with the Peugeot Diesel engine and was driven by the father / son duo of Darayus and Farad Bhathena. There was a huge fuel heater mounted on the LH fender.

Me and my colleague Mr.Kersi Cama (he is no more - bless his soul) from the PAL service department left Mumbai for Delhi in two cars MMB1975 (A Dark Blue Premier Safari - PAL service van) and MMY5184 (A Dark Blue and Yellow Top Premier Safari - PAL service van). We were alone in each car. I was driving 5184, he was driving 1975. Incidentally, MMB1975 was prepared in the PAL service station inside Kurla plant by my teacher / mentor / coach Mr.FRAMROZE NARIMAN and ran like a bomb. We reached Delhi the next evening.

I started on the route alongwith a PAL service engineer Mr.A.D.Ingrole in MMY5184. We reached Dehradun and set up camp on the outskirts of town. Many cars came in with the rear shock absorber mounting cross members dangling, which we attended to in the middle of the night.

We then left Dehradun and proceeded at very high speed through the night to reach a place known as KALA-AMB. We reached before the rally cars came there and serviced their needs. MMY5184 ran like a dream.

We then proceeded to Mussoorie. On the night of 30 October 1984, we set up camp at a place known as Kincraig, just outside Mussoorie town. Jayant Shah's Nissan 240RS was the first to power through at around 4 AM on October 31 1984 and park at the Hotel Savoy in Mussoorie. The cars started arriving and just as we were servicing them, we heard the terrible news of Mrs.Indira Gandhi's death. THE RALLY WAS TERMINATED IN MUSSOORIE.

I shudder to write further, you can all imagine what we must have gone through. We came down the ghats on 01 November upto the outskirts of Dehradun and had to backtrack all the way up as we could see unruly crowds all around. We lost fuel by doing so. Finally on 02 November, the army escorted all the remaining rally cars and all of us through the curfew bound Denradun. I still cannot forget the strict instructions to us not to reduce speed even through the various towns we would cross. We covered 385 kms and reached a burning Delhi through curfew and we finally made it to a 17 storied hotel which was then known as Ashok Yatri Niwas (at the junction of Janpath and Ashok Road - now it is known as something else). We stayed put inside the hotel as the funeral was on the 5th of November. Finally on the 7th of November we got an air ticket to Mumbai and we flew down. It was a harrowing experience !

Anyways, all this is history now. I will give you the 1985 onwards experiences shortly.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

7th August 2007, 17:17	#65 (permalink)
DHABHAR.BEHRAM BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: MUMBAI Posts: 507	Ok guys, did a little homework yesterday at home, so here goes my experiences of event no 5 (1984). I had joined PAL as a Junior Engineer in their R&D Department so after a lot of deliberations (and some not too good reactions from my Bosses at my insistence that I be allowed to go for the Himalayan Rally which they felt was a waste of time), I finally managed to pull-off being a part of the PAL service team. My last year's M&M vehicle MAR2840 was now fitted with the Peugeot Diesel engine and was driven by the father / son duo of Darayus and Farad Bhathena. There was a huge fuel heater mounted on the LH fender. Me and my colleague Mr.Kersi Cama (he is no more - bless his soul) from the PAL service department left Mumbai for Delhi in two cars MMB1975 (A Dark Blue Premier Safari - PAL service van) and MMY5184 (A Dark Blue and Yellow Top Premier Safari - PAL service van). We were alone in each car. I was driving 5184, he was driving 1975. Incidentally, MMB1975 was prepared in the PAL service station inside Kurla plant by my teacher / mentor / coach Mr.FRAMROZE NARIMAN and ran like a bomb. We reached Delhi the next evening. I started on the route alongwith a PAL service engineer Mr.A.D.Ingrole in MMY5184. We reached Dehradun and set up camp on the outskirts of town. Many cars came in with the rear shock absorber mounting cross members dangling, which we attended to in the middle of the night. We then left Dehradun and proceeded at very high speed through the night to reach a place known as KALA-AMB. We reached before the rally cars came there and serviced their needs. MMY5184 ran like a dream. We then proceeded to Mussoorie. On the night of 30 October 1984, we set up camp at a place known as Kincraig, just outside Mussoorie town. Jayant Shah's Nissan 240RS was the first to power through at around 4 AM on October 31 1984 and park at the Hotel Savoy in Mussoorie. The cars started arriving and just as we were servicing them, we heard the terrible news of Mrs.Indira Gandhi's death. THE RALLY WAS TERMINATED IN MUSSOORIE. I shudder to write further, you can all imagine what we must have gone through. We came down the ghats on 01 November upto the outskirts of Dehradun and had to backtrack all the way up as we could see unruly crowds all around. We lost fuel by doing so. Finally on 02 November, the army escorted all the remaining rally cars and all of us through the curfew bound Denradun. I still cannot forget the strict instructions to us not to reduce speed even through the various towns we would cross. We covered 385 kms and reached a burning Delhi through curfew and we finally made it to a 17 storied hotel which was then known as Ashok Yatri Niwas (at the junction of Janpath and Ashok Road - now it is known as something else). We stayed put inside the hotel as the funeral was on the 5th of November. Finally on the 7th of November we got an air ticket to Mumbai and we flew down. It was a harrowing experience ! Anyways, all this is history now. I will give you the 1985 onwards experiences shortly. Best regards, Behram Dhabhar