Tata Tiago - Indiblogger Meet: #MadeOfGreat Moments & #Fantastico Memories

Author's note: 
In view of the recent Zika epidemic, Tata Motors decided to change the name of their car (Zica) prior after we had the opportunity to test drive it. 
After a nationwide contest, the new name of the vehicle is now the TATA TIAGO.

The initial plan for the post on this event was to write about all the fun moments that transpired as 60 of the best bloggers in the country got together in Goa, thanks to Indiblogger,  to test drive the yet-to-officially-launch Tata Zica (my review is available online here).

But honestly, there were just so many fun moments and happy memories that we all packed in that weekend. So I thought it would be better to just give you the moments via the pictures themselves. 

(Fair warning  in advance - there will be lots of pictures!)

It took me 1 Bombardier & 2 Boeing 737's to get there but then, loneliness was never going to be an issue here! With each airport, the number of friends from the blogosphere increased till finally we just could not fit them all in a single selfie anymore!

Alila Diwa, Goa.

There is a reason why it is rated so highly. Absolutely professional and courteous. Traditional look outdoors, modern interiors. Large luxurious rooms. Serene surroundings. Walking distance from the beach. Swimming pools with a view. Great choice for some privacy. 

Our first stop post-lunch was the Majorda beach around the corner. It was where we all bonded I think, making new friends and greeting old ones as well. Selfies, groupfies, wading into the water and yes, even a game of beach football.

One of my favourite pics simply because of her cute uninhibited giggles. Here, Ragini uses advanced algebraic and geometric skills to try to identify and count my six pack abs, stopping eventually at one.

Unfortunately, as you can see in this footage, there was some moral policing too. Blogwati G could not stand all the awesomeness in one pic (what with Sammy, me, Shilpa & Senthil all in a single frame!)

Of course, I wanted to be the bigger man (mentally, I mean. Physically, it's a tie.) But in the end, revenge felt so good.

In the end, love conquers all! We reached a compromise for the greater good of the world - to show these kiddies around us how to be truly mature and professional bloggers when in Goa. 

Shahrukh & Kajol, eat your hearts out!

Pics courtesy: Sid

Proof that I played football. Yay! Highlights of this game would be that awesome "Bend it Like Roshan" kick I delivered that swerved past everyone and went into the opposite goal*.

(*Statements stated above may be wildly inaccurate and ridiculous, considering the size & soccer skills of the man making the statement.)

Sid got a wonderful shot of Senthil in action during those last moments of the game. Sadly, none of us got any pics of Ankita 'Mrs Ronaldo' Singhal who must have fallen a dozen times during the game, seeking a red card against her opponents! 

Beach groupfie! So many happy smiles. And the best part was that our evening was just getting started. 

Dressed and ready to start the event. After a brief discussion on some pet topics related to blogging, we got down to forming teams for the drive the next day before being asked to go into a private hall by the Indiblogger team.

The man. The machine. The legend. Arguably the most famous blogger in India, Arvind Passey and I get to meet him finally after all these years by ending up as his roommate! A wonderful gentleman and a super-creative blogger.

Our coach for the evening was none other than actor/VJ Cyrus Sahukar who had the women swooning & the guys... well, swooning too. I mean, c'mon, we have grown up laughing to this guy's jokes on MTV! It is a miracle there wasn't a stampede when he said 'yes' to posing for selfies.

But he was only one of three major surprises in that room. When we entered, we found ourselves in a football locker room with Lionel Messi jerseys all around and our names literally on the walls next to jerseys of our size (mine was HIPPO-XXL!) 

And that was still not the most awesome bit! We sat there for an hour listening to Delna Avari and other members of team Tata Motors tell us the fascinating tidbits that went into the TV ads with Messi, the designing and craftsmenship of the car and then the lights finally dimmed for what I assumed was the launch of the official Tata Zica ad. Only it wasn't the ad. The damn locker room that we had been staring at for an hour opened up revealing the actual car inside! WHAAA???

First rendering of the car and the final product that releases in 2016.

You can read my review here.

His name is associated with MTV Fully Faltoo. My family thinks I am Completely Faltoo.

Yes, it is almost like we are twins! 

(Why are you coughing so loudly? Wait... are you laughing???!! Why??) 

For Zainab, I am pretty sure the rest of the universe was a blur at that moment in time. Jokes aside, Cyrus was a tremendous sport in real life - spontaneous wit, very affable and accommodating to what I assume were a gazillion requests for photos and pictures beside him.

Faith in celebrities restored.

Team D3

This is me explaining my thoughts on global warming & how I have the solution for world peace as well.

That is Sammy wondering if I am related to cartoon characters like Goofy or Donald Duck... or possibly, Donald Trump.

Vineet from Team Indiblogger alongside Sid & Shilpa. It has been over 7 years since I met him, our first encounter being during one of Indiblogger's earliest events & the first blogger meet I attended in my life.

(Vineet: This will be the last Indiblogger meet you attend unless you save some cupcakes for the other bloggers.

*I grudgingly open my satchel bag and hundreds of cupcakes fly out, crying 'FREEEEDOM! DOBBY IS A FREE CUPCAKE!'* ) 

P.S. Those are some of the released cupcakes.

Coca Cola, Pineapple Juice and Sprite.That's our story and we are sticking with it. We are teetoootaltars.. *hic* I mean, Teetootaloos. Umm, Two teethless stars? *hic* 

Bring On the Karoake! Release the Vocal Cords! Believe it or not, Blogwati G actually rapped 'Ice Ice Baby' and it was flawless! Damn, girl! Anita, Ankita, Vaisakhi, Rahul, Maitreni and so many others got in to the act too.

And yes, there was dancing too before the night ended.

Pic Courtesy: Sid.

All these selfies and so many genuine smiles! Yes, seeing all these gorgeous folk, I was tempted to finally take a selfie of myself. 

Damn you, God! What is with that lighting? Why is it that when I take a selfie, I end up looking like the villainous monster from an 80's Ramsay Brothers movie?? Bandh Darwaza 2 - Motappa: Cupcake Ki Hawas. 

This is what we woke up to the next morning. Take a moment to imagine that sight. 20 cars not yet released in India, sitting side by side and awaiting our commands. 

CAPTAINS, ASSEMBLE!

Team Indiblogger and Tata Motors inform us of what the plan for the day is and what is expected of us. 9 captains dutifully listen to his orders. I am busy wondering if there is still time to go get some duffins (the illegitimate child of doughnut & muffins! Who knew!) from the breakfast buffet.

Sid & I share a Furious 7 moment as our cars line up.

*It's been a long day without you, my friend...

And I'll tell you all about it at the lunch buffet...*

Don't you just hate it when you dress up all nice and handsome for Goa and

then you turn around and the person sitting in the back seat is wearing the exact same

dress as you? I mean, C'mon, woman! Do I ever turn up at wedding functions you are

invited to wearing your exact same dress!?

I thought this was a nice touch. Flagging off each rider individually.

Team D3.

I don't think I could have found better teammates if I hunted throughout Goa. Ankita & Ragini

are super awesome, super fun, super cute (duh!) and just great people to be with. 

Three hours went by so fast driving, stopping for interviewing people on the street, making music videos, REMAKING the videos because 'SOMEONE' (I won't say who it is. I don't want to SINGHAL her out) kept forgetting to press the Record button! 

Sigh, there goes our dreams of being spotted by a Hollywood talent agency and making it big there, winning a few Oscars and Golden Globes and eventually settling down in Malibu in beach houses.  

Beauty meets beauty. 'nuf said.

The Spanish League cannot handle one Messi. Try 19!

The best part about blogger meets is that you get to make some super cool friends...

You also get to renew old enmities. Vaisakhi & I plan on renewing this pose (and our feud)

once a year at different locations. Mumbai & Goa, done. What say we make it international

next year, my nemesis? Wonder if we can get a sponsored annual VaisakhiShan blogger enemy meet? 

Yay! A final pose with Cyrus after the interview.

I always felt that meeting fellow bloggers now feels as though you are meeting family. Perhaps, even better. 

You know so many of these people, you have read their minds (literally, via their blogs) and you know their personalities. And you get to meet so many new faces and make new friends. You enter a blogger meet like this as strangers... you leave as close friends. People whom you know would have your back and would help you out if you asked.

The Tata Motors Zica - Indiblogger Meet pretty much proved me right. And I am glad for that.

P.S. If you are wondering about the ZICA itself, here is my honest review on what makes it truly #Fantastico & #MadeOfGreat. And now you can check out the official event video by Tata Zica below.

Cyrus Sahukar practiced hard to be a #Fantastico host for the Zica bloggers drive. See how he did here:
Posted by Zica from Tata Motors on Thursday, December 31, 2015