Car India recently drove through the Nilgiri region in a Tata Aria under the auspices of Tata Motors’ ‘Full Throttle’
In 2012 Tata Motors, under their ‘Full Throttle’ programme, launched ‘Experiences’, wherein Tata UV owners participate in driving expeditions along scenic routes across the country. The Himalayan and Konkan Experiences were held earlier this year and I recently got the chance to participate in the Nilgiri Experience.
The adventure was previewed during a briefing session held at the palatial Vivanta by Taj in Bengaluru. My starter kit contained the itinerary and a set of stickers bearing the number 7, my position in the convoy. The excitement in the air was palpable; this was, after all, a five-day drive through the beautiful Nilgiri region during which we would soak in the scenery and experience the fun of the Blue Mountains.
My white Tata Aria arrived the next morning from a rally in Goa. Our 12-car convoy comprised five Safaris, three Arias, two Xenons, one Sumo as the service car and one Sumo Grande as the ambulance. We lined up at the Mysore exit at 9.30 am and it was time to go!
Oh, Tea! (Bengaluru to Udhagamandalam – October 24)
The first leg took us to the ‘Queen of Hill Stations’, Udhagamandalam (formerly Ooty, also known as Ootacamund). The roads were largely excellent and the Aria got to stretch her legs, even if it was in the dusty urban surroundings. The 2.2-litre VTT DiCOR engine with 142 PS made for a comfortable highway cruise. There were, of course, a few horrid road patches, but its suspension set-up allowed the Aria to tackle potholes and other imperfections well.
We took two halts at coffee shops to refresh ourselves and headed on. The drive occasionally did feel a little lonely as there was no one accompanying me in the Aria. Thankfully, there was a music system with USB/AUX input and my iPod became an invaluable companion.
The highlight of the day’s drive was the final 36-hairpin-bend ascent to Udhagamandalam (Ooty), where we screeched round the corners while climbing the steep road. We reached the quaint Savoy by Taj at 5.30 pm, having covered more than 300 km. Post some tea and dinner later at night, we retired to our rooms, eagerly awaiting the next day’s drive.
The Dark Night Rises (Udhagamandalam to Munnar – October 25)
We lined up at 10.15 am for a quick photo shoot and then set out for Munnar. Progress was slow because of the late start combined with narrow hill roads and local buses and trucks careening wildly around corners. In the Aria, there is some turbo lag below 2,000 RPM, necessitating carefully planned overtaking manoeuvres and it can be troublesome while navigating the steep turns in the hilly roads. The roads were in good shape, but more than once we had to take our loyal steeds off road when a lorry or bus blocked our narrow paths.
By early evening, we reached the Periyar National Park on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. This was the most tedious part of the journey as we went through a series of police checkpoints, some less than 50 metres apart, but requiring entries for each vehicle at each checkpoint! The view inside the Park was beautiful, though, and we even had the excitement of an elephant charging at the sweep car, probably after being disturbed by the passing vehicles!
It was well past 8.00 pm when we reached the office of Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP), Munnar, where we were assigned different KDHP tea bungalows. The approach to my bungalow was via a very narrow and dark road with next to no tarmac, wide enough for just one vehicle at a time. After delicious ‘home-style’ food, I crashed into my bed, tired by the day’s 290-km-long drive.
Majestic Munnar (Munnar – October 26)
Most convoy members slept until late in the morning, but a small enthusiastic bunch decided to explore Munnar.
We first drove to the Mattupetty Dam, a popular halt for visitors who love staring at the pouring waters, shopping at the long line of shops in the area and savouring some tasty snacks.
We then moved towards Top Station, a tourist destination 40 km from Munnar, offering beautiful panoramic views of tea gardens, lush green hillsides and the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. Lunch was at the elegant High Range Club of Munnar, which includes a beautiful golf course and hallways adorned with memorabilia from the colonial era.
Kochi, Ahoy (Munnar to Kochi – October 27)
The final leg of our journey was the shortest, so we could afford a noon start. It took four hours to cover the 145 kilometres to Kochi over wide, but crowded roads. The Aria’s handling capabilities acquitted themselves well – zipping around corners or rapidly changing direction did not unsettle it much, though there was a lot of body-roll (typical of UVs) and it cannot be driven like a hatch!
About 2.00 pm, we reached the beautiful Vivanta by Taj Malabar on Willingdon Island, which commands a lovely view of the sea. The hotel organised a mini-cruise in the evening, where we saw the Kochi harbour area and the backwaters. Over dinner, we shared our experiences of the entire trip and what we’d like to see or do in future Experiences.
Tata Motors’ ‘Experiences’ tap the growing popularity of driving holidays and a well organised package like this helps to just enjoy the drive and forget about logistics. It indeed is an experience not to be missed!
The Aria Proposition
The ‘Pure’ 4 X 2 variant of the Aria includes front fog-lights, powered side-view mirrors with integrated turn signals, remote locking with a ‘headlamp-on’ button, adjustable lumbar support, multi-information digital display with instant and average fuel consumption, distance-to-empty and other data and a music system with AUX and USB input, CD, and FM. There is also a ‘Pure LX’ variant that slots in just below the ‘Pure’ variant; it loses some of the above extras, but at Rs 9.9 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune), it is still great value for money.
Story: Gaurav Nagpal
Photography: Gaurav Nagpal, Cougar Motorsport
