Kohima, Feb. 1: Traffic had been stopped for an hour, the spectators had turned out in full enthusiasm and all arrangements had been made for a grand rally.

The uniqueness of this rally, however, lay in the indigenous wooden carts and its juvenile drivers.

Hundreds of people gathered early in the morning to watch the Sei Bagei race on the slopes as vehicles were stopped from plying on the 1.5 km downhill path from the Red Cross building to the local ground for an hour.

“The original Naga cart stopped all modern vehicles for an hour today,” laughed Ken Keditsu, president of the Royal Club, which had organised the rally.

The race was a grand success with 62 of the hand-made wooden carts racing down the slopes. Each cart or Sei Bagei (wooden vehicle in Tenyidie) has one child as a driver, while another pushes the cart from behind. There were two categories, three-wheelers and four-wheelers. The participants of the former category were under 14 years of age.

These carts have no artificial fittings. Even the lubricant is made from a tree bark called Ganyü. The children chew the bark and then use it as lubricant on the bamboo wheels.

Nagaland organised the game on a largescale for the 125th anniversary celebrations.

“Itu Naga laga asal gari asse (This is the car of the Nagas),” chief guest and state home minister T.M. Lotha told the children.

He walked downhill to the ground to distribute prizes after flagging off the race.

The first four pairs were given bicycles, while others got blankets and helmets from the club.