[saket77]

Many congratulations Sayak for getting home the beast! This is in a totally different league compared to the previous generation Scorpio; so much that Mahindra could have used even a different name plate for this car. But nevertheless, this looks & feels fantastic. Now expecting the flow of travelogues to increase from your handle You and the Scorpio N make for a good team for your expeditions. And what is good to see is that you are already putting it to good use.

By the way, what happens to the Swift?

Wishing you a happy and long association with the Scorpio-N. Keep travelling, keep sharing the travelogues.

Regards,
Saket

[Neversaygbye]

Your thread made for an engrossing read, Sayak! I had bookmarked it to read it in one go and that is exactly what I did. While we are all aware of the technical aspects of the car thanks to the TBHP review, you have perfectly captured the user experience and that has added a lot of feeling and emotion to your thread. Your love for the Swift also comes through in spades and I'm sure it must have been heartbreaking to give her away.

However, change is the mantra of life, and as you yourself have mentioned, your new steed does certain things that the Swift couldn't do. I am sure the ScorpioN will stand you in good stead going forward and I wouldn't worry too much about the reports of unreliable electronics - in my opinion all OEMs have lemons and issues but Tata and Mahindra are usually singled out for an extra round of bashing more often than not. My Safari just completed 15000 kms of absolutely fuss free ownership and I'm sure it will be likewise for your car. Keep driving and keep updating this thread!

[haisaikat]

Congratulations once again Sayak. In 2019, in the middle of the BS6 doldrums, when I locked on my diesel upgrade, I had thought probably that was one of the last generations of diesel purchase. But seeing your purchase 5+ years down the line, I am not the last of diesel owners.

Diesel private vehicles are still very much relevant in the market, even though BS6 has made them pricier. Yes, there are more upgrades from hatchback available in petrol today but the world has still not forgotten diesel. Its time for you to feel that vibration and crave the noise of diesel, not sure coming from petrol and with improving

I do regret parting with the Getz but I had my own compulsion. But the Swift being an MSIL product, was there no way you could have retained it alongside the new one? First car has different nostalgia all together. Assuming you still have the RE for regular city errands, a smaller car sometimes have with its own advantages.

Coming to your new machine, that black tone and the scorpio brand has commanding road presence. I am sure you get to see people leaving you way as compared to when driving the swift. On top of that 4x4 is extra insurance, I agree with what Nil da said. Hoping to see some L-O-N-G getaways soon. Wish you many miles of happy driving on this one and thanks for those lovely travelogues, your signature touch with nature's description is all over them. !!

[sbanerjee]

Lovely writeup. Came to know of the resort that you stayed in Sikkim from your thread, and it appears to be very good. Coincidently me, our 6 year old and wife too were on a Sikkim trip this Christmas holiday, in our Z8 Auto 4explore. The confidence it gives to travel to remote location with family is unmatched. Had used 4/4 twice for few moments when got stuck, once on the way to Borong and once on Bhalu Marg while returning to Dooars via Lava. An outstanding vehicle. Let me share a picture from this trip.

[ABHI_1512]

An explorer getting the 4Xplorer- this should have been the title of your review Sayak. We all know the vehicle but it’s your personal feedback about the car which is so lively to read. The nifty and the more pronounced changes that you are seeing over the Swift and the way you have described the experience is heartwarming. I did not expect the Biksthang experience to find a place in your review since I expected a separate travelogue altogether but then, the more the merrier. I am sure this thread will get updated frequently with such trips now. Wishing you some good and unexplored miles with your ‘N’, happy driving.

See you this Sunday in our annual
Picnic over some delectable food and friends, I am sure your vehicle will be the most sought after for a TD from fellow members.

[sayakc]

Thank you Subhasish, yes we had always planned to purchase a new vehicle in 2024 - especially with the ageing Swift and I am happy that the decision materialized. Hope the next years and spent utilizing it to the fullest - as you say - reaching base camps !

Originally Posted by ron82x3

Super review, Sayak da! I still remember our meet last year at Arsalan, where you were discussing the various car options you were considering....congratulations on your purchase! Wishing you many happy miles and hoping you reach many trekking base camps with ease and fun.

Thank you Niladri-da! True, the car is now more capable but I hope the travel plans materialize in the coming days (and that sometimes prove to be difficult). Lets see how things go!

Originally Posted by Mile_Breaker

Would like to see 'N' in more difficult terrains putting all gears in use.

The car has done 5000 kms till now and it went for the 1000 kms check up. Next service is due at 10000 kms - Not seeing any niggles so far.

Originally Posted by Garth2016

How has Mahindra's service been so far? I am thinking of going for the Scorpio N, but kind of on the fence.
Any operational niggles that you see in your car?

Thank you Samba! I hope to be able do do proper utilization of the car and need your help in planning some - considering that you are a veteran of uncharted territories.
Regarding the Sikkim travel being a part of the ownership review - I thought of utilizing the year end holidays to complete the full write up and thats how it ended up being a part .

Originally Posted by Samba

Congrats on your new acquisition. Wish you 1000s of happy miles ahead. The ScorpioN 4Xplorer is the perfect choice for an explorer like you.... Now we can hope for some travelogues on the road less traveled.

Thanks Saket! We decided to part ways with the Swift - some of the parts were failing and with CF/registration all due - it was spending some more to get it ready. It was sad that we had to let it go - but at the end of the day, it was a pragmatic decision. by the way, I was in for a surprise - but blame it on the fact that I was quite dormant on T-BHP for long and this was a thread after 3 years. In between, I just checked that you have purchased a Honda City - which is an excellent choice (Our 2024 5th-Gen Honda City MT comes home!) and my dream car back in the days!. I will review your thread in detail in the coming days.

Originally Posted by saket77

By the way, what happens to the Swift?

Thank you, Sumanta-da! I felt that the area where I can add value is on the 'user experience' and thats what I focussed on in the review. Re the Swift - yes it was difficult to let it go considering that we had a lot of memories associated with the car, and within its confines is a very capable car - hence a post dedicated to it. But numerous factors e.g. garage space, upcoming taxes etc. - we decided to sell it off.

Originally Posted by Neversaygbye

Your thread made for an engrossing read, Sayak! I had bookmarked it to read it in one go and that is exactly what I did. While we are all aware of the technical aspects of the car thanks to the TBHP review, you have perfectly captured the user experience and that has added a lot of feeling and emotion to your thread. Your love for the Swift also comes through in spades and I'm sure it must have been heartbreaking to give her away.

Thank you, Saikat! Hope that diesel is not banned for the next 10 years at least. I agree on the 4x4 = peace of mind part.
I would also like to explore some parts of the Great Indian Outdoors in the next few years - heres hoping the journeys are smooth and I get to write about those journeys. Cheers!

Originally Posted by haisaikat

Congratulations once again Sayak. In 2019, in the middle of the BS6 doldrums, when I locked on my diesel upgrade, I had thought probably that was one of the last generations of diesel purchase. But seeing your purchase 5+ years down the line, I am not the last of diesel owners. ...
Coming to your new machine, that black tone and the scorpio brand has commanding road presence. I am sure you get to see people leaving you way as compared to when driving the swift. On top of that 4x4 is extra insurance, I agree with what Nil da said. Hoping to see some L-O-N-G getaways soon. Wish you many miles of happy driving on this one and thanks for those lovely travelogues, your signature touch with nature's description is all over them. !!

Yes, the guesthouse is indeed quite a nice one - away from din and bustle - in the lap of the Himalayas and with excellent food. Re engaging 4x4 - whereas I did engage 4 Low in an offroad section, I saw Altos standing at the final destination

Originally Posted by sbanerjee

Lovely writeup. Came to know of the resort that you stayed in Sikkim from your thread, and it appears to be very good. Coincidently me, our 6 year old and wife too were on a Sikkim trip this Christmas holiday, in our Z8 Auto 4explore.

Thank you Abhi - glad that you liked the review! Now coming to the exploration part, I think you can help me getting to know the uncharted territories and less explored areas of the North East...and yes, of course looking forward to the picnic with some mouth watering food and conversation.

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

An explorer getting the 4Xplorer- this should have been the title of your review Sayak. We all know the vehicle but it’s your personal feedback about the car which is so lively to read. The nifty and the more pronounced changes that you are seeing over the Swift and the way you have described the experience is heartwarming. ...See you this Sunday in our annual Picnic over some delectable food and friends

[sayakc]

Knakrajhore

Took the car on a Weekend Spin to Knakrajhore in the weekend of 8th/9th Feb. Here is a brief account of the journey.

Winter brings with it a few things in this part of India which I absolutely treasure: mustard fields,date palm jaggery, foggy mornings and a few more things, which I can only mention in Bengali (because I am yet to find their English counterparts that can evoke the same emotion!) joynagar er moa, koraishutir kochuri, notun aloo. Winter, unfortunately lasts only for a debatable 3 months these days and in the last few years, at least in the city, it is a see saw of warm days with some cold ones thrown in between.

In the first weekend of February, as the debatable winter was on its last leg, a friend with whom, I had travelled to the remote villages of Biharinath, Doladanga, Matha, Murguma –before these places became popular - and me went on an overnighter to Knakrajhore. Whereas Purulia, Bankura has gained significant popularity these days, the so called "Wild West" of Bengal - dotting the tribal areas west of Jhargram and bordering Jharkhand, is coming out of the reverie of isolation.

We started around 7 in the morning and after a breakfast stop at Azad Hind Dhaba, Uluberia, we reached the Kurchi homestay at 2 in the afternoon. Post lunch we went on a drive to the Ketki Lake, a very old temple, a dam. Most of the roads were in disrepair and whereas my erstwhile Swift would have tackled these roads any day, I was glad that I was in the ScorpioN.

Out of the 24 hours that we spent at that place, I will remember the evening spent along the banks of the Ketki lake the most. The setting sun cast an orange glow as it disappeared behind the hills, birds were returning home and so were the shepherds with herds of goat and sheep – as we sat under a huge sal tree watching the proceedings across and beyond the placid lake. There were pockets of mustard fields which reminded me of a day spent many years ago in a vast mustard field where as far as you can see, the colour was yellow and that dissolved in the horizon of a thin layer of mist – and the breeze brought with it a smell of the pungent smell of mustard.

At night we had a dinner of Roti, Chicken curry. That being said - it was the tastiest meal of the day - with the other menus, including the local delicacy Sal pata pora chicken being outright distasteful - seems there has been a change of hands at the place.

The next morning, we checked out after breakfast. Visited the Ketki lake once again for the absolute serenity. This time, we took the interior roads, dotted with sparsely populated villages, wavy hillocks, small lakes and finally reached Jhargram through Belpahari and Silda. From Jhargram, it was drive till Hotel Abhijeet where we had a plate of overzealous Fried Rice and Chilli Chicken and then after a tea break in the evening, we were back home.

Interior, morram roads.


Mustard fields in the evening






































The sun goes down behind the hills


Lunch at Abhijeet

[Kkumar]

Nice article with beautiful photos. Thank you for bringing out such a wonderful hidden gem. Keep on munching miles.

[sayakc]

Trip To Chisang, Todey and Tangta

The Dooars, as I have covered in some earlier threads of mine is a contagious forested region at the foothills of North Bengal hills and extends and crosses at certain places to Bhutan. Personally, I like to demarcate this area into the two forest ranges – one being Jaldapara and the other being Gorumara . What was in the earlier days was almost continuous is now an ‘intermittent’ forest tract – having shrunk in size significantly due to human settlement and deforestation amongst other factors.

Having spent my childhood in Cooch Behar, we had ample opportunities to explore this area especially remembering winter picnics during childhood at the several dry river beds. In fact what is a bone dry stream in winter – is a difficult to imagine, menacing swollen river in the monsoons. That, coupled with the orange orchards and tea gardens provide a versatile beauty to these places – making it quite unique.

It was a friend of mine who suggested me of some villages deep in the hills of Bindu: Chisang, Todey and Tangta. Most of these are at an altitude of 3000 ft. and as I had mentioned previously, close to Butan. The roads, he said, were mostly battered. Apart from a few homestays there is the Wildwood retreat which is supposedly the best accommodation in the area.

Near the Dalgaon Tea Estate


Road passing through the Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary


Viewpoint at Jhalong - hills of Bhutan on the far side of the river




Beetlenut plantation

I started around 7ish in the morning from our Cooch Behar home – pausing to photograph the corn and paddy fields and after the first hour of the journey – the tea gardens. 2 hours into the journey, I stopped at a Dhaba near Birpara for a breakfast of greasy Aloo Parathas and tea. The road, as one crosses Binnaguri, is singularly beautiful because of the vast forested tracts, an odd railway line and the hills in the distance. If you are lucky, you might even get a glimpse of Kanchenjunga from here. But that day wasn’t clear.

Nevertheless, the roads were mostly empty and we were crossing the Chapramari Wildlife sanctuary in no time. As one travels through Chapramari – it is advised to maintain a moderate pace – due to the increasing number of man-elephant conflicts. A few miles further, both hills and road construction takes over. The road construction ends before Jhalong where you need to make an entry at the check post. After Jhalong, comes Bindu – where there is a Hydel Power plant on the Jaldhaka river. I had visited Bindu earlier – but the roads beyond Bindu was new for me.

Forested stretches on hill sides as one crosses Bindu.


These forests don't abound in wildlife - but are quite deep and intense - A valley shot.


The start of the battered stretches. That old 'Jeep' kept company for a long time.


Towards Tangta

There are small houses, interspaced with forests, cultivation fields in most places. That day, being Holi, children ran out on the streets spraying colours. It was mid-March, but the hills were cool, with the temperature displayed on the MID being a comfortable 18C. Gradually the roads started to deteriorate – the small houses were not seen any more – and were overwhelmed by trees, at time deep valleys and far away you could see the plain lands. Cardamon and beetle nut were visibly the most cultivated items. First we crossed the village of Chisang. Saw a Mahindra pick up belonging to the SSB jawans coming down the hills and asked about Todey – they said that it was near. The road continued to be narrow, battered and very desolate.

After travelling for sometime, I reached a hamlet – with a church, a small parking lot, a maggi Dhaba and a few houses – this was upper Todey. The Jaldhaka river bed, they said was a few miles off – a steep downhill roads – here, not only the road surface was not present but also the underlying roads were exposed. Nevertheless I headed towards the river bed and on the way crossed another SSB camp.

Scenery as seen behind the windshield after a splash of rain.


The perfect territory for the vehicle.


Sangam Dhaba, near Birpara crossing - my breakfast and lunch spot.

After crossing the river bed, the roads cease to exist altogether and I travelled on an uphill dirt track for sometime till I reached the last known village on this route – Tangta. Some of the roads were steep, and being a dirt track, I engaged 4High in a few places – just to nullify any chances of being stuck.

It was 1 PM by then and my hunger pangs had grown. The nearest decent Dhaba was atleast 2.5 hours from there by then – so it was time to return and after a lunch at the same place – I returned home.

[sayakc]

Second service

The odometer had touched 8300 kms by the time we returned to Calcutta. We were planning a trip to Sikkim in the coming weeks - which would have resulted in crossing the 10K mark. So, the car went in for its second service.

Apart from Engine Oil change, performed Wheel alignment/balancing and underbody rust protection. Cost came to Rs. 11000.

[wavecruiser]

Thanks for sharing. Loved all the pics of Scorpio.Is it possible to reach there by AWD XUV 700.

[TG208011]

Off topic, but that is an interesting and dope sticker on the window

[sayakc]

Thank you! Glad that there are such places still.

Originally Posted by Kkumar

Nice article with beautiful photos. Thank you for bringing out such a wonderful hidden gem. Keep on munching miles.

Of course! A XUV700 is a very capable vehicle for this terrain.

Originally Posted by wavecruiser

Thanks for sharing. Loved all the pics of Scorpio.Is it possible to reach there by AWD XUV 700.