A tale of thoroughbreds

The Rann of Kutch has always been one of our favourite destinations. And why wouldn’t it be? To be in the white desert on a full moon night is our idea of a great getaway. Our most recent trip to the Rann, however, had an added attraction: a chance to get astride the indigenous and once-endangered Marwari horses. The thoroughbred that ferried us to the Rann was the Hyundai Tucson. We chose Hyundai’s flagship for this over 1,000km journey that saw us whip past Vadodara, Ahmedabad and Bhuj for many reasons, but prime among them was its comportment on the highways and its ability to tackle the rough stretches that are part of the Rann. And we knew we had made the right choice when the Hyundai Tucson spread its wings on the NH48.

The powerful 2.0-litre 186PS diesel engine sprang to life as we hauled in the miles, but equally, we were also impressed by its quiet refinement and the way it paired up with the intuitive 8-speed auto that hustled through its ratios without any fuss. Add to that the tons of torque and three effective drive modes – Eco, Normal, Sport – and you basically have a large family SUV that is highly engaging on the move as well.

The Tucson’s refinement isn’t just limited to the engine. Hyundai has packed the classy cabin with things that will be appreciated by discerning customers who love to go beyond city limits at every available opportunity. So, full marks to the powered, ventilated front seats that come with great cushioning and with a 2,755mm wheelbase, there is ample leg- and headroom at the rear. Also on the menu are dual-zone climate control and panoramic sunroof that enhance the salubrious effects of an airy cabin. Cruising on the highway, we also came to appreciate the Tucson’s cutting-edge SmartSense ADAS suite with a host of safety and assistance features like Lane Keep Assist, Forward Collision Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control along with a 360-degree camera, among others. The special attention Hyundai has lavished on the ADAS suite, which has been specially calibrated for Indian conditions, was in evidence all along the drive. In short, ADAS in the Tucson actually enhances the driving experience in typical Indian road conditions rather than being an intrusion.

Horses for courses 

The other thoroughbred on these pages has credentials as impressive as our big Hyundai SUV. Let’s just start by saying that Chetak, Maharana Pratap’s legendary steed, was a Marwari horse. The story goes that the Marwari horse, which is said to have originated in Rajasthan’s Mewar region, is descended from native Indian ponies that were crossed with Arabian horses over a thousand years ago. Brave and loyal, the horse soon found favour with kings and noblemen in Rajasthan and a star was born. Like the Tucson’s attractive Parametric DRLs, the Marwari horse, celebrated in folklore in Rajasthan, is especially distinguished by its elegance and the way its ears curve inward at the tips.

The handsome horse has a long, flat broad face with a light forehead; stallions are usually around 150cm tall; and the most prevalent body colours are dark brown and chestnut, among others. With the entry of the British and their gradual subjugation of the country, the Marwari horse’s popularity went into a tailspin. About half a century after the British left, the Marwari horse was teetering on the edge of extinction. Efforts to revive the breed started and today, the Marwari horse is in a much better place. Besides Rajasthan, you also find them in Bhuj and Kutch where there are efforts to breed them along with Kathiawari horses. The Kutch Classic Rider Camp, near Dhordo, which offers horse safaris in the Rann, arranged a bunch of them for us. We naturally gravitated towards Kajal, an elegant, well–trained seven-year-old mare and, as part of the safari, roamed around the white desert, spotting wild camels and wild horses, and birds we don’t know the names of.

Then, with the Hyundai Tucson in tow, we started off with a trot, eventually moving on to cantering. Riding a well-trained horse is not exactly like driving a car, but there are pleasant similarities: the connection between rider and steed, the feeling of directing a powerful creature, the sense of fluidity as the horse breaks into a gallop and the feeling of complete freedom as one rides towards the horizon. You might not have a slick touchscreen infotainment system, or the comprehensive Bluelink tech, but for a short while, you don’t really miss it.

Road to heaven

Driving on the ‘road to heaven’ that leads to khadir bet in kutch is a surreal experience.

The next morning, we drove around the Rann, attacking the salt flats, the Tucson’s AWD system coming in very handy on the rough stretches. Then, we pointed the SUV’s elegant nose towards the island of Khadir Bet, which is accessed by one of the most beautiful stretches of road. Popularly known as ‘Road to Heaven’, the 30km stretch cuts across the Rann of Kutch, with saline desert plains on either side. Out there, we found the same sense of freedom we had experienced the previous day. Driver and SUV in perfect sync, a limitless horizon, a flock of birds taking flight in the distance, silence all around. It was motoring, exploration and discovery at its very best.