We often distrust numbers. This scepticism has given birth to numerous phrases and witticisms. We accuse people of playing the numbers game and manipulating opinion. We club statistics with lies and damned lies, even placing it a notch higher on the scale of deception.
A lofty disdain for numbers is often warranted. But, sometimes, numbers capture the essence of a matter more eloquently and powerfully than words. The ‘sometimes’ includes vintage and classic cars. In this world, numbers are almost always a fool-proof barometer of quality and worth.
To know that a nimble-wheeled car is 89 years old is to know a lot about its owner’s commitment to keep it going. To know that this car is going to cover over 160 km each way, between Pondy and Chennai, is to know a lot about its road-worthiness.
This is no hypothesis. There is indeed a machine, so old and sprightly, which is going on such a super-ultra marathon this weekend. Balraj Vasudevan, president, Madras Heritage Motoring Club (MHMC), is taking his 1926 Austin 7 Chummy along on the seventh edition of The Hindu Chennai-Pondy Heritage Car Rally (January 31-February 1) presented by Golden Homes in association with MHMC and Puducherry Tourism.
Numbers illustrate the growing popularity of this annual rally, which has not once skipped its date with Chennai-Pondy, since its introduction in 2009.
“In the first year, less than 20 cars participated. In 2010, it was around 25; in 2011, close to 30; in 2012, around 35; in 2013, it was 42 cars; and in 2014, over 50 cars went on the trip, and 48 made it without a hitch. This year, 65 cars, which include 47 models, will hit the road. Allowing for breakdowns, we expect at least 60 to make it to the Promenade at Pondy. A clutch of bikes is tagging along,” says Balraj.
Another number highlighting the growth is a fleet of eight cars from Pollachi that joins the pack from Chennai at Pondy. (As usual, antique cars from Pondy will rub bumpers with their cousins from Chennai.)
“This has never happened before. Not only will these antique car enthusiasts from Pollachi join the rally, but they will also be inducted into MHMC on the occasion. They want to join the Club,” says Balraj.
This rally is a spectator-driven event and people fascinated with these magnificent machines, which range from vintage to classic, flock to Elliot’s Beach and the Promenade along Puducherry beach for a glimpse and a photo opportunity.
The turnout at both ends of the rally has been scaling new figures from year to year. “According to the Puducherry Tourism authorities, over 30,000 people flocked to the Promenade last year. This year, they expect 50,000 people,” says Balraj.
As a tradition, the cars are in for a long display – from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. – at the Promenade on the day of arrival (always Saturday). They don’t stay as long at Elliot’s Beach – on Saturday morning – where they are flagged off. Yet, the crowd drawn to the beach is anything but small. “It’s always easily around 6,000 people,” says Balraj.
An online comment by a reader to a report in The Hindu about the turnout at Elliot’s Beach for the 2012 edition confirms this. The reader says he should file a complaint with the police that the vast sea at Elliot’s beach has gone missing. He could only see a sea of spectators.
