Guwahati, Nov. 13: A three-day adventure riders' jamboree will try to spread the message of "when we meet we grow", to project the Northeast not just as a culturally diverse destination but also as a region where people can live unitedly despite differences.
Over 700 riders, including 20 women, will be geared and guarded up on their Royal Enfields as they converge at Sepaigog, a sleepy, picturesque hamlet near Jagiroad in Morigaon district of central Assam, for the 7th North East Riders' Meet from November 27.
The Bulls of Assam Motorcycle Club, a Guwahati-based bikers' association, is hosting this year's edition of the meet, an event coined and owned by North East Alliance of Riders for Royal Enfield riders from the Northeast and the rest of the country. Sepaigog is about 70km to the east of Guwahati.
"The initiative started with just a handful of riders at Kaziranga in 2009. The number of participants has increased from 15 in the inaugural edition to 681 in Imphal last year. The annual reunion of Bullet clubs across the region and outside is gaining strength as much as its mission of promoting responsible biking and unity," Abinash Taye of the Bulls of Assam Motorcycle Club said.
Apart from the thrills and spills associated with adventure biking, the three-day meet will have invigorating add-ons like music, photo exhibitions, tattoo stalls and cultural events to break the monotony, if any.
"Bands such as Spreading Roots, Celestial Sphere and Still Water will enliven the evenings at the venue as well as local cultural troupes on day three," Taye said.
The second day will see riders assembling at Sonapur on their way to Pobitora wildlife sanctuary. "After the trip to and from Pobitora, the riders will return to the venue where DJ Asad would belt out soothing numbers to wind up the day's programme," he said.
The concluding day will be adventure-packed with an obstacle course, slow race, dirt rides and arm wrestling, among others. Prizes are at stake for the winners. "Already over 500 riders have registered for the meet which will feature participants from 20 states as well as Nepal and Bhutan. We are expecting riders from Myanmar as well. Some of the riders will also visit tourist hotspots apart from experiencing festivals like Hornbill at Kisama," Taye said.
The riders will be put up in three guesthouses near Jagiroad.
On the budget for the event, he said, "We still have some catching up to do as we have raised about Rs 30 lakh (most of it from registration proceeds) against the Rs 40 lakh required for a meet of this scale. We have sought assistance from corporate houses and Assam Tourism."
The Northeast has over 15 Bullet bikers' clubs, including four in Assam and three each in Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram. Bike manufacturer Royal Enfield has lent technical support for the meet. "We will provide spares and servicing at nominal rates. From next year onwards, we look to be associated with the event in a bigger way," an official from Royal Enfield (India) here told The Telegraph.
