Himalayan Experiences - A Flashback

[Mpower]

Vicky Chandok was always a little odd ball when it came down to car choice for rallys. I clearly remember him running a Dolphin for the rallys while the others were running Fiats and later on a M1000 when everyone else was running Gypsies.

[ananthkamath]

Yeah come of think of it he was. He brought the Lancer into Indian rallying under FMSCI INRC. Then for some reason they abandoned it.

[khaadu75]

Why have the stories STOPPED ????

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

No time to type at home. Too much running around. Will try though.

Behram Dhabhar

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

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

[phamilyman]

Intense. I'm sure there was more to it than just the rally. The very experience of reaching Delhi would be quite something. Waiting for the next episode

[1100D]

How did the cars come back from Delhi? I remember knowing that the Himalayan Rally was on at that time. Where are those Premier Safari's now? We dont see many on the forums/meets. Was the rear suspension different?

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

I saw MMB1975 in Mumbai last month. It was a normal white FIAT now in SAD state. Made me feel letdown but I guess you just move on ! I don't know about 5184. The cars were kept in Delhi office of PAL and were driven to Mumbai by drivers after 2 months. No the Safari had the same suspension setup as other cars (how can it be different ? there was no capability to do so yaar !)

[nikhilchhabra]

Originally Posted by DHABHAR.BEHRAM

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

Behram Dhabhar

Hi this is the first time i am checking this site and also become member here. its was so heartening to see the pictures as i am a die hard fan of the himalayan rally times.

my dad used to participate in the event thru Mahindras(he just retired from M&M one year back) and i was badly bitten by the rally bug. hearing the stories are still amazing....

I was 11 years old and my dad was participating in that Rally. he was part of the Mahindra team and they had a terrible accident near Almora. His main driver Carl Gustaf Forsmark died in the event and my dad was hospitalised for 3 months!! so it was a hard time for us. anyway alls well now !!!

i was when i grew up was banned from getting inside a rally vehicle but finally ended up a the post marshal for the last ever himalayan rally in 1990.

i would love to see more pics of that great times of himalayan rally. would load whatever i have at my end.

regards

[nikhilchhabra]

Hi Cyrus

i may have met you dad as a 10 year old enthusiast!! my dad was working in mahindras and was providing service to Farad for the 1983 rally !!! i met the entire team sunil, farad and may be your dad in Janpath Hotel after the event. i was always there for all Himalayan events!! sadly as a kid!!.

regards

Nikhil

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Hello to you Nikhil. You are Naresh Chhabra's son, right ? Please convey my best personal regards to your father and I hope he is well.

Keep in touch.

Best regards once again,

Behram Dhabhar

[DHABHAR.BEHRAM]

Dear all,

I would like to thank Nikhil because today night at home I will type out my experiences of the remaining rallies when I was there. Just you wait.

THANKS NIKHIL.

Best regards,

Behram Dhabhar

[oversteer]

Dear Dhabhar sir, and others, please do share more with us... I wasn't old enough (not even to be a 11 year old marshal), but I do remember bits and pieces from TV and I remember imagining that this is what I want to do when I grow up. I didn't want to do it with my parents money, so I've been saving up and planning for almost 7 years now! But I do know that today's rallies (or rather the lack of them, judging by this year's INRC cancellations) are completely different from what all of you experienced. I guess even the Himalayas are not the same anymore :(
So please do relive those glorious years, and give the rest of us a chance to be a relive them with you, if only through text!

[1100D]

Originally Posted by oversteer

Dear Dhabhar sir, and others, please do share more with us... I wasn't old enough (not even to be a 11 year old marshal), but I do remember bits and pieces from TV and I remember imagining that this is what I want to do when I grow up. I didn't want to do it with my parents money, so I've been saving up and planning for almost 7 years now! But I do know that today's rallies (or rather the lack of them, judging by this year's INRC cancellations) are completely different from what all of you experienced. I guess even the Himalayas are not the same anymore :(
So please do relive those glorious years, and give the rest of us a chance to be a relive them with you, if only through text!

How much do you echo my sentiments as well.

[oversteer]

Any idea what's up? Dhabhar sir, if you're reading this, please share more!!