A lazy Sunday morning on March 29. But the Savera Hotel, Chennai was abuzz with activity. It was the venue for the Rally for the Blind. This is an annual event organised by the Madras Motor Sports Club, Chennai along with the National Association for the Blind.
This is a very different rally where the entire ‘Tulip Map’ is in Braille. The visually impaired person is the Navigator who reads out the instructions and any socially inclined person holding a valid driving license can volunteer to drive for him/her.
Amit Arora of the Madras Motor Sports Association and the technical co-ordinator of the event said,“ This is a rally and not a race. Here the team has to achieve precision with the combination of time, speed and distance.”
There are several Marshalls who record your time; reaching before your scheduled time levies heavier penalty points on you than reaching after, although both attract penalty points. The participant with least penalty points is the winner. Missing a Marshall, zigzagging before a Marshall, etc also attracts penalty points.
The route was totally within Chennai and covered a distance of 50kms and took about two and a half hours. There were several categories like the Novice, the Regular, the Expert, the All Ladies category, etc
“There is a great sense of satisfaction for a visually impaired person”, said Mrs. Dhanalakshmi, a navigator who won the 2nd prize in the All Ladies category. Prof. Suryakumari, who drove for said, “ The immense fulfilment derived is totally refreshing”.
On the whole, it is a combination of intelligence, a cool head with excellent teamwork that makes you a winner.
Photos: www.madrasmotorsports.in