India is unique, says Thomas Chacko after his mega carathon

When Jules Verne wrote his novel Around the World In 80 Days 140 years ago the protagonist Phileas Fogg has to manage a circumnavigation of the globe by myriad types of transport, including by elephant during his crossing of India. He wouldn’t have dreamt of a tiny motorized vehicle like the one pictured above.

Author and motorcar enthusiast Thomas Chacko didn’t try to mange the world in 80 days, only India herself. Chacko, a Keralite, documented his journey in “real time” using the entertaining blog Mano et Nano, as well as a book, Atop the World, after the conclusion of his 26,500-km journey in a Nano car to all the state capitals, as well as the Union Territories, and the far corners of India. The journey, which began on May 3,  2012, concluded on July 20, last year.

In an interview with The New Indian Express Chacko commented:

Only one other country can compare with India, in terms of terrain, and that is the USA. We have beaches, mountains, hills, forests, deserts, swamps and canyons. You don’t have to go out of India to see and experience all this. Apart from that, no country has as many languages or communities. India is unique.

At the end of each chapter Chacko notes the amusing road signs that are a ubiquitous part of the Indian driving experience. We’ve noted the same on our pages several times. Now all we need is someone to point Mr. Chacko to our From Behind the Wheel series. I am enjoying just thinking about the images that he likely would have to share!