Photographs: rannutsav.net
Plan a trip to Kutch now, if you want to take part in the unique Rann of Kutch festival and experience the culture, craft and tradition of the region
‘Kutch nahin dekha to kuchh nahin dekha’ – if you haven’t already been enticed by these lines quoted by Amitabh Bachchan in the Gujarat tourism ads, then now is the perfect time to make amends and head to the Rann of Kutch.
One of the most popular festivals of Gujarat is the Rann Utsav—where an entire tent city is created by the White Desert giving tourists the rare chance to stay in the unique terrain and experience the unique combination of culture and nature first hand. The festival, which began in December, is on till March 15, 2015. The cultural programs and the various handicraft exhibitions held here give tourists the rare chance to get connected to the local culture and the ethos of the place.
The festival will give the visitor a chance to sample the art, crafts, music, dance, people and nature of the region. These are, rest assured, very unique, compared to the rest of the country and even the state. Kutch is also known for its exquisite variety of weaving, patchwork, block-printing, bandhani, tie-and-dye, rogan-art and other ethnic styles of embroidery, pottery, wood-carving, metal-crafts and shell-work. The festival hopes to give a platform to these artisans who sell their amazing arts and crafts.
Where is it: The Great Rann of Kutch is a seasonal salt marshland situated in the heart of the Thar Desert with Gujarat on one side and Pakistan’s Sind province on the other. It is one of the largest salt deserts in the world. The closest railway station and airport are located at Bhuj.
What’s the best time to go: More than 20,000 tourists from all over the world descend on Kutch just to experience the festival. But the best time to visit would be a full moon night during winter, when you can see the awe-inspiring and contrasting landscape of the white salt dessert
Other places of interest: Bhuj, Mandvi, Dholavira, Narayan Sarovar, Lakhpat, Kala Patthar