Kutch- Why is it called Kutch? The Geographical land of Kutch is like Kachua or Kachbo in Gujarati- which means Tortoise. It is a tortoise shaped land and thus it is named Kutch. Kutch is the largest district of Gujarat state. It has flourished into one of the best tourist places in Gujarat. To push travel and tourism in Gujarat, the festival known as Rannutsav is organized every year during the winter season wherein lakhs of people come down to this White desert to enjoy a marvellous sunrise, breath-taking sunset, white salted desert and if you get a chance to visit never-ending white desert during Full moon it’s a cherry on the cake. Kutch has its history, vibes that the kings and queens carried that are still rampant amongst the perishable buildings that stand erect on the shaking land of Kutch. There are ample places to visit in Kutch depending on the taste you carry for your travel. You ask for a thing you love in travel and you get it in Kutch. It is a massive land of nothingness.
Capturing the setting sun
Kutch- An amalgamation of Everything on Earth
Desert, beach, mountains and hills, historical monuments, palaces, ruins, sunrise points and sunset points are what will fascinate you to this nifty land of Kutch. God has bequeathed its arty hand on this place, which you would only see ones you visit it. Pinch yourself because the endless horizon appears heavenly. Veil of pristine white sand kissing your feet and the endless sky waiting to welcome you in chilling winter. Could it be anything better? What are you waiting for? Pack your bags from that monotonous office life and head off for a break that bestows a lifetime of memory. Kutch has mouth-watering cuisine, art and crafts that dates back centuries and a culture that is nothing but excellence at par.
Get creative
White Rann of Kutch also known as Safed Rann
You would be amazed to know that this place is covered with water a couple of months before winter sets on. The water vanishes and leaves back tarnished and intriguing salt that is good enough to capture fascinating photographs. Set your foot on the white Rann and capture eternal memories. You would get a chance to behold the light of the sun and the beauty of the moon. The entire desert looks ethereal in the moonlight. Camels and the beams of light moving heather and teether is nothing less than the beauty of the infinite universe and the planets revolving around with the enchanting music. It is a home for pink flamingoes and wild asses.
Capturing the moments
How to go to the Desert?
Get enchanted with the music of the wind and the singing and dance of the locals. Get enchanted into the seasonal marshy salted land. Enjoy the ride of the camel- if you like and mules and horses. Carts are amazing and the locals don’t leave any point to amaze and entertain you. Meet them for a few minutes and remember for a lifetime. White ran is sure to cast a spell on you the moment you step on it. We were enchanted right at the entry where we met the soldiers who were enthusiastic enough to help us at any point. It was a full moon and people I am sure didn’t want to miss this unique opportunity to witness the enthralling sunset and cupid struck moon rise. You can enjoy the camel ride at a mere INR 200/head which includes TO and FRO, you can bargain and if you get through you are lucky enough. Apart from camel rides, horse and mule rides are opportunities hands-on if you are an animal freak. Even though if you are not, you should get it if you love yourself and do not want to break down by walking a few kilometres. It is easy to walk in the daylight but after spending hours in the Rann and thinking of different strategies to capture amazing pictures, walking down back to your car is tricky and exhaustive.
Wow, moment!
Things to carry in White Rann
White Rann will tan you so make sure to carry sunscreen and a good amount of water with you.
Also, snacks if you have little ones who cannot survive hunger longer.
If you are tired to stand for long in the desert make sure to carry something thick to spread and sit for a while.
Sitting for long in the salt would wet your clothes and make it hard.
The camera is mandatory to capture the endless beauty
Hats for sun
Shawls for colder nights
Glares for good pictures
Mandatory when in desert
Be empathetic
White Rann turns you black. We had fellow beings in our camel ride on return who made this huge mistake of being over-enthusiastic walking to Rann and later had been panting to search for a ride back to their car so do not make suck mistake. We were good enough to offer them a hand back in our camel cart– our humanity won over covid fear- maa ke sanskaar. We learnt that the efforts of the Gujarat Government and Amitabh Bachchan were fair enough to attract the NRI crowd to Kutch with ease. Yes, this is the same Rann that Amitabh Bachchan showcases as a back drop in ‘Kutch Nahi Dekha to Kuch Nahi Dekha, Kuch din to Gujaro Gujarat Mein.
What did I notice?
This is an amazing place that appears like snow when you step on it. You will notice tiny footprints slithered here and there across the desert. Do you know what? These are the footprints of flamingos!
Kutch in a blink!
I had the wrong notion for Kutch until I did not visit this place. It is a smudgy and pious combination of desert and ocean. This is the place where desert and ocean stay together. Mind your steps in the desert as at a certain point area is wet enough to spoil your beautiful costly shoes.
Have you ever walked on salt?
Well, this is it. Walk on the hard and watery salt. Infinite desert it is till your eyes reach. You would carry the salt of Kutch back home! We spent hours together in Kutch just to watch Sunset and Moonrise. I, for the first time in my life, watched the Moonrise and not straight away shining somewhere in the sky in the hustle of the city while heading back home from the office. The size of the moon that I noticed was ethereal and beyond what my words can describe. You should take photos but it fails to capture what our eyes witness in the white layer. Amidst the beauty of the desert and the full moon were a group of people chanting and harnessing the potent energy that the full moon and the wide desert showered. The sky lit up and so did our hearts. We left the desert leaving our footprints and the mark in our soul that this desert engraved in our souls for life forever.
When to visit:
Rann Utsav is a special winter festival to visit this place. A dream city called tent city is built just to enjoy the desert in winter, which later is down to Earth. Tents are erected that are nothing less than heaven.
Where to Stay:
You can stay in tents. If you wish to enjoy the culture of Kutch, try staying in Bhunga. They are the traditional homes of Kutch. Apart, you can also stay in Bhuj which is the best city and is just 75 km away from the White Desert.
How to go:
Ahmedabad is 335 km from Kutch and it takes approx 7 km drive from Ahmedabad to Bhuj.
PS: don’t forget to enjoy a camel cart ride in the White desert!
For more on Kutch visit: https://www.explorenbite.com/category/home/
For more marvellous photos visit the Instagram feed and highlights: https://www.instagram.com/explore_n_bite/
It will surely leave a mark on your minds! If not visit physically, get a glimpse virtually!
