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Vivek Sharma/Yamaha TTR 250), nitinjit (Nitinjit Bawa/ZMA suitably modded for off-roading), c_sbk (Ashish Pandey/rally-spec RX-100), manan in 2000 (Manan Chaturvedi/Fiero modded for off-roading) and yours truly (ZMA on road-tyres with no intention of off-roading). Ravi Dalal (ZMA same spec as mine) joined us a day later. Also accompanying us were three pretty well-known names in the domestic rally circuit: M/s Amardev (modded ZMA), Rajiv and AshokAn old satellite thermal image of Sambhar Lake
The word Sambhar literally means 'salt', and it has been extracted from the lake for centuries. Before the British leased it in 1870 from the rulers of Jaipur and Jodhpur who jointly owned it, the Marathas, Scindias and the Moghuls had all gained from the salt produced here. The British brought in technology to supplement the traditional methods of salt making. They laid a narrow gauge railway track to transport slat from the pans to the processing unit. After independence, the government took over the rights and is now managed by Sambhar Salts Limited, a joint venture of Hindustan Salts and the Government of Rajasthan.
Salt crystals forming on the 'super-saturated brine'.
The salt train with tracks laid on salt!!
Manan and Ravi standing on salt with salt all around!!
Salt is mainly produced on the eastern kyars (colloquial name for salt-pans). Water pumped across the dam is conveyed from one saltpan to the next till it acquires a degree of salinity judged correct for salt extraction. The fierce sunshine and winds blowing across the flats do the rest. A wafer thin layer of salt crystallizes on top of the algae rich brine. This thin layer of crystal is broken up by stirring with wooden poles and settles on the bottom. In time, more and more such layers are broken and settle on top of each other, fusing together to form larger crystals. This accumulated salt is scooped up into small mounds to dry out before being further processed at the salt factory. The local labourers with their bright clothes stand out in absolute contrast to the stark whiteness of the salt mounds all around. Narrow gauge tracks laid by the British have been improved upon though the basic system remains the same. The 'salt train' carries salt crystals from the kyars to the factory. Quaint little wooden wagons (because wood does not corrode!) trundle behind a small diesel locomotive (a replacement to the steam locomotive in the days gone by) as it rolls along on the tracks laid alongside the shimmering water standing in the salt pans.
The 'sea of land' seen from atop a hill.
The 'knobbies' taking a short cut to the temple across the lake bed.
Getting back to our rideDay 2Full throttle with nary a chance of hitting anything...
We 'roadsters' had our share of fun too...
Imaginative circlework by yours truly...
Visiting extra-terrestrials??? Dropped by a UFO
Manan and Ravi caught without their steeds!!
Thirsty in the middle of a lake!!
The endless road to nowhere!!
The loneliness of traversing the lake bed...
Day 3How to get there: Distance: about 350 km from Delhi.
The word Sambhar literally means 'salt', and it has been extracted from the lake for centuries. Before the British leased it in 1870 from the rulers of Jaipur and Jodhpur who jointly owned it, the Marathas, Scindias and the Moghuls had all gained from the salt produced here. The British brought in technology to supplement the traditional methods of salt making. They laid a narrow gauge railway track to transport slat from the pans to the processing unit. After independence, the government took over the rights and is now managed by Sambhar Salts Limited, a joint venture of Hindustan Salts and the Government of Rajasthan.
Salt crystals forming on the 'super-saturated brine'.
The salt train with tracks laid on salt!!
Manan and Ravi standing on salt with salt all around!!
Salt is mainly produced on the eastern kyars (colloquial name for salt-pans). Water pumped across the dam is conveyed from one saltpan to the next till it acquires a degree of salinity judged correct for salt extraction. The fierce sunshine and winds blowing across the flats do the rest. A wafer thin layer of salt crystallizes on top of the algae rich brine. This thin layer of crystal is broken up by stirring with wooden poles and settles on the bottom. In time, more and more such layers are broken and settle on top of each other, fusing together to form larger crystals. This accumulated salt is scooped up into small mounds to dry out before being further processed at the salt factory. The local labourers with their bright clothes stand out in absolute contrast to the stark whiteness of the salt mounds all around. Narrow gauge tracks laid by the British have been improved upon though the basic system remains the same. The 'salt train' carries salt crystals from the kyars to the factory. Quaint little wooden wagons (because wood does not corrode!) trundle behind a small diesel locomotive (a replacement to the steam locomotive in the days gone by) as it rolls along on the tracks laid alongside the shimmering water standing in the salt pans.
The 'sea of land' seen from atop a hill.
The 'knobbies' taking a short cut to the temple across the lake bed.
Getting back to our rideDay 2Full throttle with nary a chance of hitting anything...
We 'roadsters' had our share of fun too...
Imaginative circlework by yours truly...
Visiting extra-terrestrials??? Dropped by a UFO
Manan and Ravi caught without their steeds!!
Thirsty in the middle of a lake!!
The endless road to nowhere!!
The loneliness of traversing the lake bed...
Day 3How to get there: Distance: about 350 km from Delhi.
Hope more are still to come..
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