No roads too long

Time of India

11 hours ago

A few weeks after the terror attack in Pahalgam, a parking lot in the Kashmir town hosted an unusual sight. A caravan from Kerala had pulled in and as the evening chill set in, a group of women prepared dinner inside, surrounded by snow-dusted mountains and settled for the night–another ordinary stop on their extraordinary journey across India's highways.
For Jalaja Ratheesh, her sister-in-law Surya MB, and daughter Devika Ratheesh, driving massive trucks across the country has become as routine as managing their household in Kottayam. These women from the Puthettu family have shattered stereotypes, proving that India's trucking industry—long dominated by men—has room for fearless female drivers.
The trio recently completed their 'Himalayan family trail,' a caravan journey from Kerala to Ladakh that covered 18 Indian states. But this adventure represents just the latest chapter in their remarkable story of life on the road.
Jalaja, the pioneer of the family's women drivers, has already traversed 24 states and six Union territories, extending her routes even into neighbouring Nepal. Her most recent marathon assignment saw her navigate 10,500km in her 12-wheel BharatBenz truck, hauling goods from Kottayam to Gujarat, then to Arunachal Pradesh and finally to Nagaland before returning home.
The family's trucking legacy began with Jalaja's husband, Ratheesh, who started driving for a relative before purchasing his first truck in 2003. Today, their fleet includes 25 twelve-wheel trucks and an 18-wheel trailer. When Jalaja married into the family that same year, she initially accompanied her husband just to see the country. By 2014, curiosity had transformed into commitment—she obtained her driving licence, followed by a heavy vehicle license four years later.
For the past six years, Jalaja has commanded trucks with 25-tonne capacities, earning respect at checkpoints, from police officers, and in villages across the nation. 'We have special consideration wherever we go,' she explains. 'People tell us to drop by again when we pass through their area next time.' Despite the respect they receive, these women face unique challenges that male drivers rarely consider. 'Give us clean toilets,' Jalaja's primary request to authorities reflects a universal concern among the family's female drivers. 'It's difficult to find hygienic washrooms, especially in northern India.'
The women have adapted by carrying toilet sheets and rarely staying in hotel rooms during their journeys. 'We find our truck as the safest place,' Jalaja says. 'We also struggle to find parking for our long trucks if we stay in hotels.'
Surya, meanwhile, drives mostly during her children's school vacations. She earned her licence in 2023 and describes her first cross-country drive— with kids in the cabin and her husband in the second truck—as both challenging and unforgettable. She stresses that inadequate facilities become particularly problematic during menstruation. Yet these practical challenges haven't deterred the women, who've customized their trucks with 300-litre steel tanks and small kitchens beneath the cargo area.
Twenty-one-year-old Devika represents the family's next generation of drivers. The BCom student has already driven through 21 states since obtaining her licence in Jan 2024. 'My vacations are always in the driving seat,' she says. 'I love driving at night, listening to music.'
Their journeys have become so routine that Google Maps has become obsolete—they know the routes by heart. 'Once you're interested in traveling, difficulties aren't a bother,' Surya observes.
There have been tense moments, too. In West Bengal, Jalaja once realised mid-drive that robbers had jumped into the back of her truck and were cutting the tarpaulin to steal rubber sheets. She didn't panic. She sped up, drove into a crowded area and the robbers fled.
Their success, they say, is as much about the men in their family as it is about their own determination. 'They trusted us with the trucks,' Surya notes. The family's adventures now reach beyond personal achievement. Ratheesh has begun documenting their travels through 'Puthettu Vlogs,' which has attracted 5.25 lakh subscribers. What started as casual footage during a Kashmir trip has evolved into a platform offering viewers authentic glimpses of truck driving life across India.
'I want people to get an almost real-life experience of our trips,' Ratheesh explains.
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