Go fuel throttle

Off-roading is an expensive bumpy ride. But across India, IRL obstacle courses are finally overcoming old challenges

- Noor Anand Chawla

The ground is wet. Dark slush makes the route more slippery than ice. Misshapen rocks and boulders seem to be the only protection from fierce curves and deadly troughs. Just then, a vehicle emerges around a hairpin bend, its massive tyres making short work of the path. Despite the odds, a pair of helmeted drivers confidently make their way through this dangerous, undrivable route.

This isn't a film set. Those aren't CGI obstacles. When off-roaders participate in a monsoon-themed challenge, driving a 4x4 vehicle or a motorcycle on unpaved surfaces and rough terrain, it's the kind of adrenaline rush that movies just can't offer.

Indians are developing a taste for it. Trade analyst Research and Markets estimates that India's ATV and UTV market is expected to grow 6.8% of its current size to become a $536 million business over the next five years. The sport is no longer a closed rich boys' club. It's now a playground for anyone willing to get down, dirty and dangerous in the name of fun.

"Off-roading is basically trekking with your vehicles," says Chennai-based Arkaprava Datta, co-founder of off-roading group Terra Tigers and organiser of India's oldest off-roading competition, the 17-year-old Palar Challenge. "It's a mix of adventure and motorsports," he adds.