Highway To Heaven

The Hyundai Verna battles varied terrain and inclement weather to deliver us some fresh air and spectacular views.

A long weekend, and nothing much to do but laze for three days – with sporadic rainfall driving out the dry heat, but heralding in unbearable humidity - forced me to make a call to a couple of friends. After a brief chat, the decision was unanimous: we would have to head to cooler pastures. Going to the hills seemed to be the only rational solution to escape this murky climate. We zeroed in on Kufri, simply because most of the hotels in the other hill stations were booked and a friend had his own place there. Now the problem with a last minute plan is that you're never fully prepared - whether it's food supplies or even music for the road.

After dumping two big strollers, a couple of backpacks, and some rain gear, in case of bad weather, in the Hyundai Verna's 465-litre boot, we were all set to leave Delhi. With the clock's hour hand slowing crossing 11am, we knew that just getting out of the city would take us at least an hour - if we were lucky. And, as expected, soon the slow traffic and reckless two-wheelers started testing our patience. The best option was to switch on the 2Din entertainment system, and let the radio drown the hustle-and-bustle of the outside world. Fortunately, the four speakers and tweeters provided excellent surround sound.

The weather, on its part, wasn't helping either. Even though the climate control revealed that the outside temperature was 33-degrees celsius, the humidity levels made the heat torturous. But, the fully automatic climate control allowed me to adjust the AC to a setting that everyone found comfortable - a useful feature that made sure everyone was in a relaxed frame of mind and no one was squabbling over the AC settings.

As we inched our way out of Delhi, this Fluidic sedan was welcomed by the broad lanes of the Grand Trunk Road. With roughly 230 kilometres of straight, flat roads before we were to reach Zirakpur, the gateway to the hills, we felt as though it was time to put pedal to the metal and make up the time lost in city traffic. The Verna was quick on its heels, with 121 horses sprinting from the 1.6 litre petrol engine in a jiffy.

Half-an-hour on the national highway, and our stomachs started to grumble. Till then, no one realized that we hadn't eaten anything since the night before. As luck would have it, the famous Sukhdev Dhaba, at Murthal, was only 20-odd kilometres away and it would be sacrilege not to pay our respects and wolf down their famous parathas. You can't miss this food joint, as it's a huge complex with its own banquet hall.

It's not your typical run of the mill dhaba for truck drivers either - rather it's become a well-established family restaurant. Though they serve various cuisines, like Chinese, South Indian and continental, we stuck to the good old parathas, curd, and chai. Back on the road, after a sumptuous meal, and with 20 kilometres to go, we were able to cover distance very quickly. We did encounter some diversions, as parts of NH1 are still under construction. The Verna soaked up most of the bumps and undulations that these diversions caused, ensuring that we had a comfortable ride.

The car never once crashed through the many undulations and potholes, which speaks volumes about its suspension set up. And the vastly improved dynamics of this cutting-edge sedan were clearly demonstrated on the fast sections, where the Verna enjoyed stretching its legs. Soon, we zipped past Zirakpur and got onto NH22 - which led us straight to the mountains. With the sun playing hide-and-seek with the clouds, the view was even more stunning with the spectrum rays acting like disco lights. As the meandering roads started throwing curve balls at us, the Verna was up to the challenge and easily tackled the sharp turns. Racing against the clock is never a sound idea in the hills, but with overcast weather hanging over us, we quickly passed through the well-known hill station of Solan.

After Solan, the road bifurcates - one heads towards Kufri via Shimla, and the other via Chail. We recommend the latter, but if you have time, take the Shimla route for 35 kilometres, where the beautiful slopes of Kandaghat filled with pine trees will bedazzle you. Adding to the beauty is the river Ashwini flowing alongside you, which is the lifeline for cultivation and irrigation in this region. We took a U-turn, heading back towards Solan, where we took the bypass leading towards Chail. This way we avoided the Shimla traffic, and also got an opportunity to see the highest cricket stadium and polo ground in the world. Originally, this sleepy town was just a village before Bhupinder Singh, Maharaja of Patiala, decided to make Chail his summer capital. He did this because the British expelled him from Shimla. So, to keep his ego intact, Chail seemed the perfect location as it was higher than Shimla, is surrounded by forests, and at the same time, had a direct view of the British controlled hill station of Shimla. With just 21 kilometres to go, the sun decided to give way to some menacing dark clouds, and within no time, the heavens opened and the Verna was drenched in the rain. The sedan's fog lights ensured clear vision in these hazy conditions. But what kept me alert, even after seven hours of being behind the wheel, was the fact that there was no fatigue or even a hint of a backache. Moreover, the seats provide excellent thigh support. My friends in the rear had more than enough legroom as well, and the headrests added to their comfort. As we entered Kufri, a pungent smell of horses welcomed us. After driving through the narrow winding roads, we finally reached my friends home, where the tight parking spot did create a bit of a challenge. But, with rear parking sensors and the Verna's camera, it was a piece of cake. The Verna was a stress-free drive in city conditions, on twisty mountain roads, where it remained composed even in inclement weather - plus, it was stable at high speeds on the highway, and cushioned most of the blows served up by some of the roads. After seven-and-a-half-hours, I was still up for another drive in mountains, and the trouble free Verna didn't seem to mind either, but we decided to call it a day because of the heavy rains. It was time to just sit back, breathe in some fresh air, and watch the rain... 

Words : Arup Das