From there we made our way towards a hill on the outskirts to visit the mighty Buddha Dordenma. This is a 177-foot tall statue of Buddha made of bronze and gilded in gold. A fairly recent construction, only dating back to 2015, the entire project to build the Buddha and all the smaller ones within reportedly cost over $100 million (or Rs 717 crore).It is an astounding sight, though, and can be spotted from much further down the hill because of its strapping size and radiating golden shade.
After taking in the brilliance of the statue, it was off again, back towards Siliguri and home soil. The drive back was a lot quicker since we were driving down the mountains and, thankfully, there was no landslide-related hold-up either. The Brezza was flawless as ever on this last leg of the journey too. The SUV’s spacious interior, clever features, comfortable seats, and sorted driving dynamics meant it conquered this tri-nation drive with ease and the powerful diesel engine and smooth five-speed gearbox were perfect for both the highways and the steep climbs. Safety features such as dual airbags, ABS, and EBD meant that I never had to worry about losing control. And convenient features such as the Android Auto-compatible touchscreen, cooled glovebox, mood lighting, and steering-mounted controls elevated the drive experience.
So, if you’re planning to go on a border-crossing, continent-straddling, multi-nation road trip, the smart money is to do it in a Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza.
