‘Simply amazing’

For, across the 800-km opening stretch from Guwahati to Moreh, the event turned out to be one big social do, something that has not been seen in these parts for a long time. On the menu before the Tuesday crossover: impromptu Naga dances and delicious North-East cuisine that spiced up the carnival-like atmosphere.

‘‘We have never seen anything like this and want to make the most of it,’’ said Nagaland Chief Minister N Rio.

Joining the party, his counterparts in Assam and Manipur want the 8,000-km, eight-country rally to be an annual event and the 1,400 km highway to Thailand — the event is a precursor to the expressway — to come up as soon as possible.

The rally started from Guwahati on November 23 and will finish in Batam in Indonesia on December 11, 2004. On the way, Kohima and Imphal saw surging crowds lining the roads. In Moreh, greeting the drivers were freshly-scrubbed schoolchildren, teenagers on flashy motorbikes and eager grandmas trailed in the slipstream.

Chipping in was the government machinery, working at full tilt with the Indian Army. Heavily-armed guards stood vigil along the route and officials flitted about, organising banquets and shepherding flag-waving fans across the North-East.

‘‘Don’t people have schools and offices here? Just look at them,’’ said Indonesia’s Dany Sarwano, as he basked in the glow at an early morning reception at Senapati in Manipur.

Even the organisers, officials of the Confederation of Indian Industry, were taken aback. ‘‘The level of enthusiasm is amazing. We never expected this,’’ said Rajat Majumdar, rally chairman.

Of course, there were some groans of dismay too, but those had more to do with Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwayra Rai not turning up, as was rumopured.

‘‘I heard Shah Rukh Khan would be here and came all the way from Imphal to see him,’’ said 34-year-old Christina Howkip, one of the rally watchers.

But 18-year-old Surjit Singh wouldn’t let this affect the mood: ‘‘Maybe Shah Rukh will feel safe enough to come next year.’’