Visually impaired kids steer treasure hunt, charming day out with vintage vehicles
Telegraph | 3 March 2025
A 1951 purple Hillman Minx turned heads at the Victoria Memorial. A classic black 1968 Mercedes Benz 230S zipped past Birla Temple in Ballygunge.
Twenty vintage vehicles charmed motorists and pedestrians on the city's roads on Sunday. Guiding the men behind the wheels were students who were moving their hands along a sheet.
They suffered from various degrees of visual impairment and were using Braille-guided maps to navigate the vehicles in a treasure hunt-themed classic car rally.
The map had clues to six city landmarks in Braille in the form of a riddle. The navigators had to solve a riddle to know the landmarks. The winners were decided based on points scored by reaching each spot on time.
The rally was organised by the Classic Divers Club, a Calcutta-based organisation that organises vintage car rallies and exhibitions.
The rally was flagged off from the Freemasons' Hall on Park Street around 10am. The six stops were GPO, Birla Temple at Ballygunge, St Lawrence School, Writers' Buildings, Victoria Memorial and St Xavier's College on Park Street. The cars returned to Freemasons' Hall.
The navigators were brought by Ek Kadam Aur Foundation, Ramakrishna Mission Blind Boys' Academy, Lighthouse School for the Blind and Calcutta Blind School Behala.
"Events like this can be an eye-opener for visually challenged children and society as well. This kind of event can boost the confidence of the children with visual impairment," said Biswajit Ghosh, director of Ek Kadam Aur Foundation.
The father of a navigator echoed him.
Arohi Goswami, 10, was one of the navigators onboard a Fiat 1100.
"It was a unique experience for her. It was a fun event and there was a sense of adventure. It was a collective celebration. Most importantly, the rally helped improve her confidence level," said Rajesh Goswami, Arohi's father, who was also in the car with her.
Arohi studies at Louis Braille Memorial School in Uttarpara in Hooghly.
"Today was a day well spent making a meaningful difference in the lives of these incredible children. Kudos to the organisers for leveraging their passion for vintage cars to give back to the community..... This initiative is a shining example of the impact we can have when we combine our interests with our values," said Arijeet Doss Mullick, a participant who drove his 1964 Fiat 1100.
"The event celebrated inclusivity, teamwork, and the joy of historic motoring," said Ritabrata Mukherjee, a member of the general committee of the Classic Drivers Club.