10 women on a TVS Zest tackle a treacherous terrain and emerge winners

Every year before the snow comes pouring in from the skies and covers the vast landscape of Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, tourists in search of adventure rush to the region to make the most of the hospitable climate.

The journey by road is easy when you are driving a 4X4 off-roading vehicle or riding a motorcycle fitted with large tyres and an engine that pumps out large doses of brute power. But when a handful of women decided to undertake a journey by road from Mandi in Himachal Pradesh to Khardung La pass in Ladakh — over 11 days on a TVS Zest 110 Scooty — it sounded almost unbelievable. It was as though the very idea of a few women riding a tiny scooty with tyres no bigger than your dinner plate was doomed from the word “go”.

“You are a girl, you will not be able to do it” — this was the kind of advice some of the women got from their kin before they began this adventure. But that didn’t deter these women, and they went on to participate in the Himalayan Highs Season 3 that was organised by TVS. The participants were chosen to ride the TVS Zest 110 through some of the world's most treacherous roads, peaking over 18,000 feet. 

Twelve riders — 10 women and two men — were selected through multiple rounds of evaluation, which included physical test and psychological resilience.

I rode along to experience this arduous ride. Initially, I was sceptical sitting atop a 110 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled Zest. How could this tiny machine ever reach its destination? 

After a good night’s rest, the participants set off early in the morning to begin their journey of 123 km for the day. The first stop was Manali. While riding up along the Beas river, my scepticism got its answer: not only was the Scooty capable, but there were also 10 gritty women alongside me proving their mettle and determination. The roads to Manali were well laid-out and the ride was comfortable. Since the Zest is an automatic scooter, I did not need to bother about clutching or changing gears. 

After an early breakfast, the bunch was off to take on what would mark the beginning of the real test for the women and their machines. The day's ride saw us crossing the Rohtang Pass at an altitude of 3,958 metres and concluded in Jispa after travelling about 138 km. As we rode down from Rohtang, we were shocked to find bikers, truckers and SUVs all stuck in a gooey mix of ice and mud. 

It was surprising to see the Zest glide across tough terrain in Ladakh. Photo: Afsar Baig

Many riders on their big, thumpy motorcycles took a toss in the slush, while our lot on light and zippy scooters glided across it. En route to Jispa, we crossed the Keylong village from where one can see the Shigri Glacier. Arriving at Jispa, a small hamlet in the Lahual region, we retired early to acclimatise to the altitude and soak in some sights. 

Our onward journey took us through varying terrains, with the scenery changing dramatically every 50 to 60 km. From Jispa, we drove towards Sarchu, covering a distance of around 85 km. The route was tricky and there were long stretches of bad roads. The Baralacha La, with a breathtaking view of snow-covered mountains and barren landscape, entailed an exacting ascent and my breathing seemed to get laboured. From here, we were quick to reach Sarchu, our final stop for the day.   

We then moved towards conquering the Gata Loops, a total of 21 hairpin loops beginning at an altitude of 4,667 metres above sea level. The road eventually took us to Nakee La (4,739 metres), from where we moved on towards Pang ,our stop for the night. Over the next few days, we rode through different parts of Ladakh, moving off the Leh-Manali highway at Upshi. We went up to Hanle, a small village that was established on a branch of the ancient Ladakh-Tibet trade route.

If the scarcity of oxygen was not enough to leave one breathless, then the view at Hanle did the job. The flat areas along the way are also home to the Kiang, a breed of the Asiatic wild ass. 

The women riders were undeterred by the scepticism about their capabilities. Photo: Afsar Baig

From Hanle we made our way to Leh, covering a distance of nearly 254 km. Leh sits almost 3,500 metres above sea level. On entering the desert city, we were greeted with an open blue sky and cold crisp winds. The air in Leh was thin and breathing was tough. To put things into perspective, climbing a flight of stairs can make you see stars and bending down to tie your shoe laces will leave you breathless.  

After being well-rested for a day, we headed up to Khardung La, which is at 5,359 metres above sea level and arguably one of the highest mountain passes in the world. But this ride up to Khardung La was all about busting myths. Many of us live in a patriarchal society where women have always been considered inferior and under qualified for several tasks. Right from the selection process to the ride in Ladakh, these women were faced with one dilemma: “Will we be able to do it?” 

This journey had been all about breaking stereotypes, whether about the women or the machines they were riding. Some simply wanted to conquer their own fears. I had the chance of speaking with one such brave soul amongst them. After a bad crash almost 10 years ago, Aashraya Suresh from Karnataka had always been afraid of taking corners and bends. So much so that she would dismount and walk her scooty across. But much before this journey ended, she was well on her way to conquering her fear of riding.
 

Report: Motown India; www.motownindia.com