Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally From Jan 7 to 9th

Organizers of the Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally have finalized holding of the 413-kilometre-long rally from Jan 7 to 9, 2005.

Besides, a week-long Camp Bazaar will also be set up near Derawar Fort to highlight Cholistan culture and handicrafts to generate economic activity for native ‘Rohillas’. To make it culturally more colourful, camel races, bullcart races and camel fights will be arranged at the sidelines of the Camp Bazaar to be set up four days before the rally.

‘Rohillas’ will be allowed to market their handicrafts, including the famous and costly product ‘flassi’ which is made of camel hair. Flassi is a mat and its fine quality is also used as ‘chadar’ by the people for warmth to fight the desert cold. Other people will also be allowed to set up stalls and no fee will be charged.

The race is expected to take minimum 15 hours of a driver, approximately six hours for 148km night rally and nine hours for 265km day rally.

The night rally would begin at around 7.30pm on Jan 8 from historical Derawar Fort, some 100kms from Bahawalpur. After some four to five hour rest, the second phase of the rally would begin on Jan 9 morning when drivers and their navigators would be required to cover the remaining 265km distance.

Routes of both night and day rallies are oval-shaped and participants would have to return to the Derawar Fort after beginning the race from the same point. Reflectors would be installed for drivers’ guidance, particularly for night race, to inform them about any turn or dunes some 50 yards before their appearance…