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Young World
Lion on the road
G.V. JOSHI
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The chakkada is as much a symbol of Gujarat as is the lion in the Gir.
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The chakkada : All terrain vehicle.
Life in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat is almost impossible without a chakkada ride. As it can carry a heavy load, it is called Saurashtra no sinha meaning the lion (on the roads) of Saurashtra. A chakkada is as much a symbol of Gujarat as the Asiatic lion of the Gir.
No one knows for sure when the first chakkada took to the road, but the one popular story is that the first chakkada was made by the then Jam Saheb, the Maharaja of Jamnagar. He got a trailer fitted to his motorcycle to transport garden manure across his palace grounds that was spread over several hectares.
The concept appealed to the local people of Jamnagar, who started converting their Royal Enfield or other high power motorcycles into chakkadas in the 1950s.
Totally utilatarian
It probably got its name from the fact that six (chak) different parts were traditionally used for its manufacture the Greaves 7.5 hip diesel engine, the Royal Enfield bullet gear box and bonneted fuel tank, the Austin differenital, Hindustan Motors’ Ambassador brake drum, Fiat tyres for the rear and motorbike tyres for the front, and a motorbike chain.
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