On the ROXX

An impromptu chai that turned into a week-long adventure with the Mahindra Thar Roxx in one of the most remote locations on the planet, Spiti in the winter

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It started, as most great adventures do, with a simple idea --- a warm cup of chai to cap off the weekend and an inexplicably long work week. What should have been a quick tea break turned into an unplanned Himalayan expedition. The Thar Roxx was parked downstairs, and with snow forecasted in Spiti, the opportunity was too good to ignore.

Without much thought for logistics, work deadlines, or the concept of why people preplan anything, the drive began. The destination: Kaza. The slim justification: the Thar Roxx was built for this, and it would be a shame not to test it in a fullblown winter adventure.

The climb towards Shimla was uneventful, apart from the usual mix of reckless drivers and confused tourists. Shimla itself was a mess-rented puffer jackets everywhere, families trying to walk on icy roads, and overpriced Maggi. So we didn't bother to slow down. This was barely a few hours into the drive, and ensconced in the JBL-powered surround sound that comes as part of the package in this top-of-the-line diesel automatic Roxx, we weren't ready to stop and let better sense prevail.

The real fun began after crossing Kufri, where the first patches of black ice appeared. Suddenly everyone in the car was at attention, the silence only broken by the occasional snap of a nail clipping off the edge of one of the crew's teeth. It was the first time we remembered that the Thar Roxx had a low ratio gearbox, but even without engaging it the Roxx handled the slippery tarmac with ease, maintaining traction even as smaller cars struggled.