The following morning, I was up bright and early to go visit the famous Maa Samleshwari Temple. The bells chiming, prayers reverberating through the temple walls, and the air of spirituality that permeated through every stone that makes up this structure made for an ethereal combination. There was also an old elephant parking on-site, one that kings of yore used when they had to make do with pachyderm power to move about. I didn’t envy them one bit from behind the wheel of the Sonet. After the prayers, I got back out on the road, with Baghamunda and the Satkosia forest reserve next on the agenda.
The drive to Baghamunda meant more highway action and more night-time travails through forest roads. Luckily, however, this time we didn’t have a traditional four-wheeled safari on the agenda, but a boat safari through the gorgeous Satkosia Gorge instead. And to get to the gorge meant driving from our eco-resort stay to Tikarpada Wildlife Sanctuary. So, I got to give the Sonet’s off-road capabilities a thorough vetting. As I splashed through the muddy and wet jungle part, I could see just why the Sonet’s tagline is “Wild by Design”. For a well-behaved city SUV, the Sonet certainly has a wild side. Not only did the signature “tiger-nose” grille and attractive styling cues really stand out among the foliage, but its 205-millimetre ground clearance was also more than plenty to allow me to fly across the blemished surface that passed for a road within the forest area. The safari was an interesting experience, too, with a big croc making a brief appearance as it surfaced and swam along for a while before disappearing into the depths. I even saw a little turtle sunning itself on a rock a little while later.
As the Sonet and I began our journey out from the jungle, I spotted a tranquil little lake and pulled over to contemplate how the drive had been so far. The more familiarity I gained with the Sonet, the more I was growing to appreciate it. I had seen its sporty side in the first leg and now, in this second leg, I got to see how rugged and reliable it was. This is a proper, well-rounded SUV and at every turn this trip takes, I find new aspects worthy of appreciation. I’m looking forward to the last leg of this Odisha exploration with the trusty Sonet, so keep your eyes peeled for the conclusion of this saga in the next issue of Car India.
