The 10th edition of the Mahindra Great Escape organised by Mahindra & Mahindra, co-sponsored by Club Mahindra Holidays, Indian Oil Corporation, JK Tyre and Mico Bosch drew overwhelming response from would-be participants. However the organisers had to restrict contenders to 100 vehicles only. Adding colour to the already lively proceedings were over 450 off-road enthusiasts, nearly 50 per cent of whom were from Malaysia, South Africa, Russia, France and Nepal, a majority of them being Mahindra dealers.

After the mandatory briefing for drivers, power minister of Goa, Digambar Kamat, flagged off the fleet of 100 Mahindra vehicles from Club Mahindra at Varca.

After driving on tarmac for around 10km the vehicles hit dirt terrain along the Chinchinim-Cuncolim route. The experienced drivers led the convoy while the greenhorns followed in their wake. A particular stretch near Cuncolim involved crossing a river bed under a railway bridge followed by an uphill bog pit. Some Escapees were mired in the slush and needed assistance from the Mahindra service crew supported by the DPC Motors team from Margao.

The route extended from GIDC, Akamol, Shepe to Cupwada and thereafter were a series of dirt tracks with rocky terrain interspersed with river beds right up to Rivona. At Maina, the convoy made their way through thick woods. The truly bogged down vehicles had to be hauled out with a winch. Soon it became impossible for two-wheel drive vehicles to find grip on the slippery uphill terrain and they had to return via the tarmac route. The other Escapees then proceeded via the Maina-Kamna route through Mureim, Rivona, Zambaulim, Quepem, Tilamol, Xeldem and Chandor before reaching Royal Paradise, Mugali and signing off at Varca.

Kargl Van Dan Oever, MD Mahindra Cape Town, South Africa, said, “The Mahindra Goa Great Escape was one of the best trips I ever experienced with so much team spirit from participants all over the world.”

Amril Shamshuddin from Kuala Lumpur who had previously participated in the Great Escape at Rajasthan, said, “For the first time I was able to know what we could do with a Mahindra in adverse conditions.”

For some it was just another day of mud-plugging, but for many others it was the start of a great adventure, the experience of a lifetime.