Car Meet 2023: Of Cars and Passion

May 3, 2023

In today's social media-driven world, the term "passion" is often tossed around casually, sometimes losing its true meaning. In the pursuit of online validation, individuals may feel pressured to label any fleeting interest or hobby as a "passion". And we’ve seen it time and again. This has led to a culture where passion is equated with popularity and external recognition, rather than being rooted in genuine intrinsic motivation. The essence of true passion, characterized by deep dedication, unwavering commitment, and authentic love for an activity or cause, can be diluted in the superficial world of social media, diluting the entire meaning of the word. Maybe that’s just us old heads, bickering about the hip young’uns. Maybe that is just how things work now.

However, through the years we have developed an indifference towards fake passion mongers who claim to do it for the love of the craft. Naturally, when two kids, Suprey and Vinamra, walked into our office with a “passion-driven” project, we were sceptical.

A Car Meet, inspired by underground car meets that happen globally, would be free of cost for visitors and open to all participants who buy into the lifestyle. That was the gist of it. And all of this would happen in the parking lot of a mall complex in Kalanki, manned primarily by two young kids and their friends. The only problem was; they weren’t able to bring in cars that would be crowd pullers. It seemed like they were having trouble convincing exotic car owners to bring their vehicles in. Nevertheless, they were not the least bit disheartened and were adamant to push on through. They said it would be a success.

Funnily enough, we believed them. Sure, the idea felt farfetched, and there were times when we really thought the kids would not be able to pull it off. Even after the sight visit, where they painted a beautiful picture of the event, all we could see was an abandoned parking lot that would need a lot of work before it was ready. Honestly, even though we were fully behind their efforts, it really looked like the event was going to be a dud. But, never have we felt happier to have been proven wrong before.

The team

Fast forward to the day of the car meet and things are popping off. The parking lot had been transformed into what legitimately looked like a setting worthy of a car meet. We spotted several known faces from the automotive fraternity, amongst the crowd of auto enthusiasts that had flocked in to see the show. More importantly, there were cars! Interesting ones at that.

From modified classic Land Cruiser 70 Series and a well-kept classic BMW e30 325i, the much talked about DC Avanti, to a Subaru Forester driven by Jay Pratap Maskey that insisted on drifting around the exhibit, the car meet was every bit as exciting as promised. Furthermore, the fact that people were eager to show off their cars because they loved them, regardless of the make or what was under the hood, is what truly stood out for us. Seeing Nexons, Cretas, classic Corollas, Ford Freestyles and other passenger vehicles that were loved, cared for, and characterized by their owners was a breath of fresh air.

Considering the tax hurdles, modification laws, and financial woes of owning a car, Nepal is far from the Mecca of auto enthusiasts. Thankfully, we make the absolute best of what we have and make up for the rest with passion. Once again, we still believe that true passion cannot be manufactured or faked, no matter how hard one tries. It is born out of a deep desire to pursue something that brings joy, satisfaction, and purpose. You can create a culture of superficiality where passion is equated with external recognition and popularity, but this Car Meet shows that true passion still exists and can go hand in hand with the social media ways of the modern day. Their dedication and unwavering commitment to their project, despite initial scepticism and setbacks, prove that passion can drive people to achieve great things.

Furthermore, the success of the Car Meet not only showcased interesting and unique vehicles but also celebrated the love and care that owners put into their cars, irrespective of make or model. The event demonstrated that passion knows no bounds and can inspire people to pursue their dreams, no matter how big or small they may be.

The Volkswagen Beetle - always an icon at any car meet!