New Delhi, December 5 : Still blue waters kissing the beaches of the Maldives, lush green Sri Lanka and the rough terrains of Bhutan. The pictures taken by 120 people who participated in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) car rally tell the tales of their unique journey through the region.
The people who participated in the rally, which kicked off in Bangladesh with much fanfare on March 15, travelled 8,200 km through Bhutan, Nepal, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to reach the Maldives on April 14.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had mooted the idea of the rally to foster brotherhood and overall economic development of the Saarc fraternity. The purpose was well served as participants savoured the distinct beauty of each nation, drove on varied terrains, interacted with different people, and experienced various cultures.
In each country, locals and heads of state gave rally participants a rousing welcome.
Among the most colourful pictures displayed at an exhibition at the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) in the national capital, were those of the rally entering Indian from Pakistan via the Wagah border.
It was for the first time in history that a rally of vehicles was crossing over from Wagah in Pakistan to Attari in India and the moment, as was evident from the photographs, was coloured with the beating of drums, dancing, and a lot of mirth.
Some of the other photographs at the exhibition, such as the one taken in Bangladesh showing burq-clad women lined on one side of the road along with their children waving at the rally, were quite striking.
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