Chander Gari: Will this vehicle take you to the moon?

There are many types of vehicles around the world- bullock carts, pushcarts, buses, trucks, private cars, and more. However, many people may not be familiar with the “Chander Gari.” They might frown and ask, “Is this a vehicle from the Moon, or a means of travelling to the Moon by purchasing a ticket?” Not at all. It is actually a very familiar vehicle in the hilly regions of our country. The Chander Gari is an old, open-sided jeep from the British era. Uneven roads are not an issue, nor even the overload of passengers, it keeps moving at its own pace. Riding in this vehicle gives you a true sense of the saying “the life of a koi fish.” Although it is referred to as public transport, it carries everything from people to goods and all kinds of items. 

Image Source

The Chittagong Hill Tracts consists of three districts- Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari. The first modern facility that reached this remote area was the Chander Gari. Rujalmoy Bawm from Harmon Para in Ruma Upazila of Bandarban shared his thoughts on this, stating, “In our backward and stagnant life, this Chander Gari appeared as the blessing from God several decades ago from today.” The life-restoring energy of their lives is spread across the mountains and forests. Anything beyond this was unimaginable for them. A police station used to take two to three days or even more to reach on foot can now be accessed easily thanks to this vehicle.

Ruzalmoy mentioned that many individuals in their community have never set foot in a police station. They have never seen a paved road or the glow of electric lights. The main reason for this is the long and arduous mountainous path that must be traversed on foot. It is hard to believe that even in the 21st century, there are still such people in our country. Regardless, the Chander Gari serves as one of the means of transportation for the hill residents.

There is no reliable information on why the British era jeep later became known as the ‘Chander Gari’ (Moon Car). However, two main stories circulate in the region regarding this name. The first suggests that engine-powered vehicles were unimaginable to the indigenous hill people. When they saw it in reality, they thought this might have come from the moon (since the moon is used as a metaphor for beauty and prosperity). The second story is that since this vehicle moves upward, traversing the uneven hilly terrain, they assumed that it might be able to reach the moon as well.

It is against the nature of a Chander Gari to leave behind any passenger standing by the roadside. It does not even know how to behave so discourteously. Although each vehicle has 18 to 20 seats, a peculiar sight can be seen on the Ruma-Boga Lake route. Often, more than fifty passengers are loaded into a single vehicle. Passengers are carried not only inside, on the roof, but also on the bumpers and even on the front engine. Sometimes, goods are also seen being carried in these places. Often, the windshield in front of the driver is completely covered by the mass of goods or passengers. Only about a foot and a half of space remains for the driver to see through. Even then, the driver manages without any difficulty. It is common to see passengers sitting on the roof, dangling their legs over the windshield of the jeep. For the convenience of the driver, they are asked to keep a small gap between their legs. The driver continues on the road by carefully looking through that small gap.

When visiting Sungsungpara of Ruma Upazila, one can observe that the Chander Gari has also reached there. However, there is no proper road for vehicles to go there. When asked about it, Robert Bawm, a merchant from a section of the village, said that ginger has been harvested from the Jhum. To transport this large quantity of ginger, this temporary arrangement has been made. However, the last road that is accessible to vehicle in this remote hilly region extends up to Pasingpara, which is about 1700 feet above Sungsungpara. Yet, despite the winding and curving path, this vehicle has reached there.

On the way to Pukur Para, a popular spot for tourists, you can see Chander Gari running near the remote Anopara. The altitude of this area is at least 2,500 feet above sea level. Woods are cut from the deep mountain forests and transported using these strange vehicles on poorly constructed roads. A woodcutter said that each vehicle carries approximately three tons of wood per trip.

If you look closely, you will notice that no part of the vehicle is in perfect condition. The original structure has been lost over time due to repeatedly replacing, welding and patching of different parts. From distance, it looks like a beehive filled with people, wobbling as it moves forward. We spoke with Khupati Marma and Laltan Tripura, drivers of the Chander Gari on the Baittapara to Boalkhali route in Langadu Upazila of Khagrachhari district. They said that road accidents do not happen in the hills that much compared to the plains. They have not experienced any accidents in their ten-year long driving career.

However, it has been observed that the number of Chander Gari has been increasing in the hilly areas recently. In that case, open-roof Toyota, Tata, and Bolero vehicles are becoming quite common and are often referred to as “Chander Gari.” In reality, the number of “Chander Gari” is decreasing day by day because there is no opportunity for the new ones to be added. Recently, several locations in the hilly areas have become quite popular. During the season, thousands of tourists visit there. Many of them choose to travel by Chander Gari.