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Jewel of India 2001
The 2nd Jewel of India was just as challenging as the first, with the cars starting and finishing in Udaipur. At the drop of the starters flag wielded by His Royal Highness Arvind Singh Mewar the cars headed east to Bhopal, Pachmarhi and Khana National Park before turning north to the holy of holy cities, Varanasi. The real fun started with the drive into Nepal and Kathmandu. Heading north the great Himalayan mountains grew taller and taller as we approached the border with Nepal. Kathmandu, the city in the clouds was an experience all of its own, with holy sites, great history and hippies in even number.
Leaving Nepal by its western border, the event took in some of the great hill stations of India, including Nainital, Shimla and Dharamsala. We even stopped at Rishikesh, the Beatles’ city of enlightenment. Breaking out of the hills the event dropped onto the desert landscape of Rajasthan and the oasis of Gajner before moving on to the great and ancient desert city of Jaisalmer. The event finished in Udaipur 23 days after setting off from the same city, thereby completing a unique circle of India.
Highlights of this event included the Ghats of Varanasi and Kathmandu, the safari camp of Royal Bardia, the tranquillity of Rishikesh, the holy town of Dharamsala, Camel Camp at Ossian and the magnificent fort of Kumbhalgarh.
 
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