Luxury on wheels

Thu, Nov 5 06:10 AM

Choppers, Mercs, Audis, Limousines - the traditional ghodi & sarkari ambassadors make way for high-end vehicles this eventful season

It's not called the big fat Indian wedding for nothing. In fact, make that big fat anything for when it comes to Indians, including the NRIs, indulgence is a second nature. So, you'll have elephants to lead the way, decorated chariots for a royal feel, choppers for a flower shower, fire jugglers for the drama, and finally, a stretch limousine for the stately effect. That's right, from traditional ghodis and sarkari ambassadors, luxury has rolled into high-end sedans, and this eventful season, folks are lapping it up. Starting with Ludhiana which is the hub of grand limos, choppers and expensive cars like Mercedes and Audi. "Punjab is a cash rich belt, and all Punjabis want to show off the best," says Sukh Aneja of Eye India Innovative Media. Log on to their website, www.globalflyingclub.com, and you'll get a range of services from innovative ad formats to helicopters and private charters on hire. "There is a lot of awareness and people have got pretty conscious, so they indulge, and some copy too," Sukh's company flies baraatis to corporate guys to celebrities to special groups of pilgrims to Shirdi on hire. They even do flower showers for weddings. "The first celebs we flew on hire for a shoot were Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, and then we did the Dhoni and Bipasha Basu Reebok ad," Aneja's clientele ranges from Reebok to McDonalds to Sahara City, Amby Valley, Future Group et al.

He came from Canada nine years back and gave Punjabis a taste of the Limousine. Today, Harminder Singh of Canadian Car Service has a fleet of Limos with a 20 employee strength, and is chock a block, especially for the wedding season. "You can bring a Merc or a BMW or an Audi, but a Limo is a Limo," says the man adding how the charm of this grand car is still alive. "Especially for the NRIs who come here and expect the same effect and show they are used to abroad." While they charge a minimum of Rs 10,000, more details can be found on their website, www.canadianlimos.com.

If you're looking to drive in style in a Merc, Audi, BMW, Bentley or Volvo, then back home in Chandigarh, Jagmohan Singh Saini of Tara Brothers is the right guy to get in touch with, Running the family business which started in 1971, Jagmohan sits at Taj Chandigarh and provides clients with expensive cars on rent for corporate events, marriages, and other exclusive travel purposes. "People want to celebrate in style. With increase in incomes and awareness, and even the availability, they want to taste the lifestyle of the rich and famous and hence they go in for these vehicles," he says, putting his price tag anywhere between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000. "It's all about pomp and show, adding a bit more glamour to the occasion. We Indians are an indulgent, opulent, spoilt lot who love to overdo things, and now we have professionals and specialists to give us everything on a platter, that too on rent! Heck, we even have custom made nanka-dadka clothes! Can't believe life has got so easy," events planner Rashmi Bindra sums it up aptly.

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