The Taj Challenge

sudev · 6th March 2012, 10:35

Rally junta : A new event created for you all. Have a great weekend participating in this event on March 17~18.

The Taj Challenge-tajchallengelogofinal.jpeg

One day TSD Rally covering ~250 kms. Challenging for Navigators and rivers. Terrain includes highways, district roads, village roads and some offroad sections too. Navigators would be tested for accuracy of directions and time calculations. Drivers would be tested for not getting stuck in farmland roads. Both would be tested as a team.

Program
Saturday March 17, 2012
Scrutiny, ceremonial flag off, parade

Sunday March 18, 2012
Rally, prize distribution and rally ball

Nominal entry fee of Rs5000 including night stay at Agra. Entries limited and available on strictly first come first serve basis.

Entry form at Northern Motorsport (also attached Entry Form Combined.pdf)

More details of the event can be found on FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/thetajchallenge

Brought to you by Norther Motorsport as part of Taj Mahotsava celebrations.

sudev · 11th March 2012, 18:55

The Taj Challenge route survey completed and road book check done. 90% route is tarmac surface. But nice challenge for navigators to go through back village roads without getting lost. Lovely winding roads of Chambal "ghati" will now see a different sort of raiders - The rallyists vying to win The Taj Challenge.

sudev · 22nd March 2012, 07:25

Inaugural round of The Taj Challenge was run on Sunday March 18, 2012 at Agra. Conducted as part of the Taj Mahotsava Week celebrations the event sought to promote adventure tourism opportunities of this famous heritage city and the region around.

Scrutiny of cars was conducted on Saturday March 17, 2012 against the back drop of Red Fort Agra. In all there were thirty six entries. A ceremonial flag off, conducted by Mayor of Agra City, was held at the same venue. After this the cars drove in a parade around the city. All were then driven in electric buses to Taj Khema where, dressed in
the event T Shirts, a photo shoot was held with the fabulous Taj in the background.

Leg 1 started early morning on Sunday March 18, 2012 at 0800hrs. The leg tooks the cars up to town of Bah, 65 kilometers south of Agra. The route was along the Chambal River and crossed many ravines, made infamous in past. This leg saw competitors getting confused due to loops incorporated in to the route and round-about way required for navigation. All of them made to the end of leg 1 for a lunch break.

Leg 2 was flagged off in time at 1330hrs. The second leg took the participants along the banks of Yamuna River to temple town of Bhateshwar. The town is a religious center and is also birth place of our former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The route was set amongst green fields and rural scenery and was much appreciated by all. Thirty five cars finished this leg by 1700hrs with one car suffering from mechanical breakdown.

The rally finished with participants coming back to Agra. The results were declared at a grand Prize giving ceremony held at Hotel Radission. Many prominent members from Agra society as well as Administration were present to hand out the prizes to winners. Chief Commissioner Agra gave away prizes to the first place holders. All the finishers were also given a plaque as mark of their participation. A grand total of Rs1.5 lacs was handed out as prize money amongst the winners.

The Taj Mahotsava Committee intends to make this event an annual feature. The event was conducted by Northern Motorsport.

The Taj Challenge 2012 Winners
Order Comp No Driver / Co Driver
Category : Amateur
1 19 DushyantTyagi Ira Atreya
2 10 VivekPandey ArvindBalan
3 16 GauravRathi AmitVerma

Category : Professional
1 37 Jai Kumar Sahu Mustafa
2 3 Vishnu Singh Adithya Antony
3 30 Naveen Goel TarunChaudhary

Best Couple : 19 DushyantTyagi Ira Atreya
Coup d Dame : 18 Vaneeta Kumar Karuna Sharma
Oldest Competitors : 6 KavitaAgarwal Shobha Jain Rajeev Agarwal Naresh Jain
Best Agra Competitor : 12 Bharat Bansal Varun Gupta

sudev · 22nd March 2012, 07:29

All the participants in the rally T shirts lined up for formal photo shoot with the Taj as background:

The route was 10% off-road through the fields and the dreaded Chambal Ravines:

Pictures courtesy Lalit Rajora

sudev · 23rd March 2012, 12:09

Some more pictures:

Chambal ravines:

Dusty climbs:

Chasing competition

Start against backdrop of Agra Fort:

Through the fields

Gypsy's and SUV's did not really have any advantage:

Police cruiser was also a entrant in the rally

Following each other to ease the navigation:

6th March 2012, 10:35	#1
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	The Taj Challenge Rally junta : A new event created for you all. Have a great weekend participating in this event on March 17~18. One day TSD Rally covering ~250 kms. Challenging for Navigators and rivers. Terrain includes highways, district roads, village roads and some offroad sections too. Navigators would be tested for accuracy of directions and time calculations. Drivers would be tested for not getting stuck in farmland roads. Both would be tested as a team. Program Saturday March 17, 2012 Scrutiny, ceremonial flag off, parade Sunday March 18, 2012 Rally, prize distribution and rally ball Nominal entry fee of Rs5000 including night stay at Agra. Entries limited and available on strictly first come first serve basis. Entry form at Northern Motorsport (also attached Entry Form Combined.pdf) More details of the event can be found on FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/thetajchallenge Brought to you by Norther Motorsport as part of Taj Mahotsava celebrations.
	(5) Thanks

11th March 2012, 18:55	#2
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	Re: The Taj Challenge The Taj Challenge route survey completed and road book check done. 90% route is tarmac surface. But nice challenge for navigators to go through back village roads without getting lost. Lovely winding roads of Chambal "ghati" will now see a different sort of raiders - The rallyists vying to win The Taj Challenge.
	() Thanks

22nd March 2012, 07:25	#3
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	Re: The Taj Challenge Inaugural round of The Taj Challenge was run on Sunday March 18, 2012 at Agra. Conducted as part of the Taj Mahotsava Week celebrations the event sought to promote adventure tourism opportunities of this famous heritage city and the region around. Scrutiny of cars was conducted on Saturday March 17, 2012 against the back drop of Red Fort Agra. In all there were thirty six entries. A ceremonial flag off, conducted by Mayor of Agra City, was held at the same venue. After this the cars drove in a parade around the city. All were then driven in electric buses to Taj Khema where, dressed in the event T Shirts, a photo shoot was held with the fabulous Taj in the background. Leg 1 started early morning on Sunday March 18, 2012 at 0800hrs. The leg tooks the cars up to town of Bah, 65 kilometers south of Agra. The route was along the Chambal River and crossed many ravines, made infamous in past. This leg saw competitors getting confused due to loops incorporated in to the route and round-about way required for navigation. All of them made to the end of leg 1 for a lunch break. Leg 2 was flagged off in time at 1330hrs. The second leg took the participants along the banks of Yamuna River to temple town of Bhateshwar. The town is a religious center and is also birth place of our former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The route was set amongst green fields and rural scenery and was much appreciated by all. Thirty five cars finished this leg by 1700hrs with one car suffering from mechanical breakdown. The rally finished with participants coming back to Agra. The results were declared at a grand Prize giving ceremony held at Hotel Radission. Many prominent members from Agra society as well as Administration were present to hand out the prizes to winners. Chief Commissioner Agra gave away prizes to the first place holders. All the finishers were also given a plaque as mark of their participation. A grand total of Rs1.5 lacs was handed out as prize money amongst the winners. The Taj Mahotsava Committee intends to make this event an annual feature. The event was conducted by Northern Motorsport. The Taj Challenge 2012 Winners Order Comp No Driver / Co Driver Category : Amateur 1 19 DushyantTyagi Ira Atreya 2 10 VivekPandey ArvindBalan 3 16 GauravRathi AmitVerma Category : Professional 1 37 Jai Kumar Sahu Mustafa 2 3 Vishnu Singh Adithya Antony 3 30 Naveen Goel TarunChaudhary Best Couple : 19 DushyantTyagi Ira Atreya Coup d Dame : 18 Vaneeta Kumar Karuna Sharma Oldest Competitors : 6 KavitaAgarwal Shobha Jain Rajeev Agarwal Naresh Jain Best Agra Competitor : 12 Bharat Bansal Varun Gupta
	(1) Thanks

22nd March 2012, 07:29	#4
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	Re: The Taj Challenge All the participants in the rally T shirts lined up for formal photo shoot with the Taj as background: The route was 10% off-road through the fields and the dreaded Chambal Ravines: Pictures courtesy Lalit Rajora
	() Thanks

23rd March 2012, 12:09	#5
sudev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 3,838 Thanked: 3,179 Times	Re: The Taj Challenge Some more pictures: Chambal ravines: Dusty climbs: Chasing competition Start against backdrop of Agra Fort: Through the fields Gypsy's and SUV's did not really have any advantage: Police cruiser was also a entrant in the rally Following each other to ease the navigation:
	() Thanks