The Rann of Kutch is a salt marshy land in the Thar Desert in the Kutch district of western Gujarat. It lies between Gujarat in India and the Sindh province in Pakistan. It comprises of around 30,000 sq. km of land which includes the little Rann of kutch, The great Rann of kutch and Banni grassland. The Rann of kutch is known for its white salty desert sand and is supposed to be the biggest salt desert within the world.‘Rann’ means desert in Hindi which in turn is derived from the sanskrit word ‘Irina’ that also means desert. The inhabitants of Kutch are called Kutchhi and have a language of their own with the same name. Most of the population in Rann of Kutch comprises of Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Sikhs. For transport options one could hire a private vehicle from Bhuj which is 102 km from Rann. From Dec to February there are regular buses plying from Bhuj and Ahmedabad to Rann. It is the most important destination if you are planning for Gujarat tour. The nearest railway station and airport are also situated in Bhuj. The climate in Rann owing to its desert land is considered to be one of the harshest and hottest temperatures recorded in India. The summer temperatures go as high as 50 degree C.
WEATHER IN RANN OF KUTCH
The winters are quite extreme with temperatures dropping to as low as 0 degree C. During the monsoon, the salt desert is roofed with water considering its proximity to the Luni, Rupen and Indus rivers. The marshy desert is only about forty nine feet above water level. The Rann of kutch region is additionally home to a variety of ecologically rich wildlife such as the flamingos and also the ass that can be noticed round the desert usually. Rann is also a district of a couple of sanctuaries like the Indian ass sanctuary, Kutch desert wildlife sanctuary etc. It is a paradise for life photographers and nature enthusiasts alike.
Due to its proximity to Pakistan, the Indian army has a base at Rann and has army officials patrolling around the area through the day. To visit Kutch rann utsav , all travellers must have valid id proofs which are checked by the army official at the entry point. The government of Gujarat holds a 3 month long festival referred to as ‘The Rann Utsav’ once a year starting from Dec to February. This is the main source of income for the locals around who welcome visitors from across the globe to savour in local delicacies and to witness the culture and hospitality of Kutch. At the utsav, there are different cultural events held everydays where travellers can stay in tented accommodations in the desert or can also opt for an authentic stay in mud houses a few kilometers away from the desert. Considering the magnitude of the festival, the accommodation at Rann is expensive during season time and hence it is advisable to pre-book if one wishes to visit the white desert during the Kutch Rann utsav. Other than the festival months there is no accommodation option out there within the desert, during this case one might opt to keep around Rann or might make a day trip from Bhuj.
TEMPLETOURONLINE 