Our Maruti Suzuki Jimny, our companion its rugged silhouette hinted cheekily at the adventure that lay ahead. The sun was beginning its ascent, casting a golden hue over the city and started to light up the neon of our Jimny as the team and I prepared for an unconventional road trip. Our destination? The enchanting town of Shimla. Our chosen path? Only the trails that through the Himalayan foothills. The 90 km between Chandigarh and Shimla usually takes about 2 hours.
Our route was 10 km shorter at 81, but it would take at least 10 hours. I had intended to do a recce before the drive to ensure none of the routes had been washed out by the savage effects of this year’s monsoon, but Yogen had shot down the idea. “Make a way” he suggested in his usual calm dismissive tone, “you’re driving the Jimny, you never turn back.” So with those words of encouragement, and uncharacteristic faith in my skills, we set off for what would be one of the most challenging drives of my life.
The anticipation was palpable as we settled into the familiar seats of the Jimny. The 1.5 litre K15B engine purred to life, a subtle reminder that this journey was not about speed but about patiently navigating the untamed trails that awaited, and making it out the other end before sunset. The tyres crunched on the gravel, and we left the urban landscape behind, heading into the wilderness.
Our chosen trails led us through the outskirts, where Jimny’s compact footprint was a boon. We wound through villages, greeted by curious stares from locals as we passed our neon Jimny bringing smiles to everyone’s face as it bounced along the pea gravel pathways. The Jimny navigated the narrow lanes with ease, a four-wheeled adventurer amidst the simplicity of rural life.
The air was filled with a sense of liberation as we left the predictable roads behind. In contrast to the highway that was bustling with traffic and trucks, the trails were alive with the sound of the fauna that inhabited them; the bedlam of the city was replaced by a stramash of birds beginning their days.
