Cholistan Jeep rally is an annual 3-day even of fun and adventure which takes place in choilstan (also called Rohi) desert of Pakistan. Every year an increasing number of participants have been taking part in the event with their numbers reaching 80 in the 2008 edition of the race. So far four editions of this annual events have been organized by the Tourist Development Corporation of Punjab(PTDC).
Following photo is credied to Mr. Yasir Nisar and was taken on March 9, 2008 .
I like the above photo because it has captured every flying grain of sand and stone around the participating jeep of Cholistan Rally in a time-frozen space.
The rally is 218 km long and makes a loop along the famous Derawar Fort.
The photo above has been referenced from the Cholistan Jeep Rally page at Pakwheels.com.
Twelve checkposts are establised along the route of this rally.
1. First CP is set up at Qasaiwala at Km 9.7 from the opening point near Derawar Fort.
2. Jamoon Wala CP is set up at 25.9 km,
3. Nawan Kot at 50 km,
4. Gandawala at 70 km,
5. Bijnot at 97km,
6. Bandhal at 124.4 km,
7. Rasool at 132 km. There is a refueling facility available at Rasool.
8. Khangarh mor at 144km,
9. Khangarh Fort at 156 km,
10. Hangola at 169.3 km,
11. Bharoon Wala at 176km, and
12. Last CP at Sat Khoh at 199.3 km.
The rally consists of several events which includes Engine Inspection, a qualifying 5-km race on the dry bed of River Chenab, a welcome dinner at the historical Noor Mahal, palace of Nawab of Bahawalpur, a route checking drive and the real race. Prize Distribution Ceremony follows the race. The vehicle covering the 218-km distance in shortest time is declared winner in each of the four categories. The Prize money in 2007 edition of the race was Rs 100K, Rs 70K and Rs 50K for the first three positions in each category.
Referencs:
1. CholistanRally.com
2. A collection of VIDEOS of Cholistan Jeep Rally
3. Cholistan Rally Coverage at PakWheels.com
4. www.treklens.com
@ Ayyashi, Maghrib-zadagi, Ghurbat ka mazaq,
it should be banned, shameful attitude,
Roti, Kapra, aur makan in 4×4 petrol consuming,
mussawati USA Jeep. !!
Adult’s delinquency in Pakistan, how’s that ??
Sassi Punno, Cholistan mein
Thalon mein nikkaltay hein,
4×4 mein yun “sassi” kay,
Yeh Becharray comerades,
Bachay bigray howay amiron kay
Goya, thaikay pay day dia ho,
Punno ki ghurbat ka jawaaz
Hanstay hongay jenab-e-Ahmed Faraz,
Peettay hongay jenab-e-Jalib sar apna
Dhool urti hay, to becharay Faiz kay gharibon par.
Rafay Kashmiri
Tamam Shu’ara ka ehtram lazim hay !
The charitable donation is less than half of the prize money being offered. So this is not exactly Edhi principles in action.
As for those who talk about tanks–military is also a group of rich boys with loud toys, so what difference?
One needs only look to the former grasslands of Balochistan, at the time of Partition populated with cheetah and antelope, where literally every living thing has had a bullet put through it by Saudi princes on hunting holidays. The province is now a howling desert with empty “hunting lodges” and the princes have moved on. Truthfully, there isn’t even a hare in Balochistan these days.
There has to be a more sustainable way to make money than allowing the wealthy to obliterate the environment for pleasure and then leave.
Can there be no eco-tours developed for Cholistan? Even the country extremely poor country of Suriname has managed to create an eco-tourism niche in order to save its rainforest, instead of buckling to the pressure to clear-cut it. I think a balance must be possible.
We had a similar issue at our Sleeping Bear Dunes national park–millionaires assumed they had a right to fly in and drive ATVs over the dunes and then leave us with the destruction, the pollution, and the cleanup. Fortunately this was put a stop to before the dunes were too much damaged, but it wasn’t without a fight.
If you don’t have to live there and the world’s your playground, then everything is just play. So it’s amazing how seriously angry these people get when you ask that they play somewhere else. Sometimes I really believe the rich are like spoiled children, whose only pleasure is in breaking every thing around them and forcing others to accept it.
This is good as according to ‘Zaka’, Rs. 100,000 wd be given as food aid to people in Cholistan….
Who knew blowing dust would have its own rewards.
Prize money should be donated to charity.
Participents have their fun and adrenalin rush while racing.
This is how you entertain the rich and feed the poor.
Caution: Safety gears and barriers.
Of course, this further encourages the desertification of our once green lands.