Little Rann of Kutch

Asiatic Wild Ass at the Little Rann 

The Rann is quiet “yet through the silence, something throbs and gleams.”

The best way to reach the Little Rann of Kutch is to fly down to Ahmedabad 's SVP airport and then take a vehicle to your destination. Getting behind the wheels , Bee my travelling partner  took National Highway (NH) 947 and GJ SH 18 from Ahmadabad to Zainabad, a distance of 2hours 20minutes to reach Zainabad Camp run by Desert Coursers. You may book a chauffer -driven taxi  or go for myles-self-driven cars. The Little Rann of Kutch is at the periphery of the great salty-swamp and marks the beginning of the greater Rann. A brackish marshland with a bleak landscape it offers a bio-diversity which is unique to this world . The dry cracked earth and the salt desert makes this region distinctive and inimatable. 

A Kooba..... to spend the night

The resort run by Desert Coursers was started by the descendants of Nawab Zain khan and it is still managed by Dhanraj Mallick ,the son of the present Nawab. A very colourful person, who has seen the world, Mr Mallick can fill you up on all the things that you might want to know. The family is originally from Multan and came to Gujarat before the Mughals. The campus is dotted with “Koobas”, the eco-friendly cottages that gives the area a rural touch. Each Kooba has a bed-room, a dressing area provided with modern amenities and an attached bath-room, a shower and air-conditioning. The food is garden fresh, served hot, offering the local cuisine. In the evening the warm camp-fire and the starry sky above completes your holiday.

a tribal girl in a colourful applique skirt

Tucked into a corner of the country (India), the Little Rann inter-mingles diverse cultures and colours that have beckoned travellers for centuries. There are a number of nomadic and settled tribes in this part of India like the Rabaris, Kolis, Bajanias, Siddis (originally from Abyssinia) whose ethnic ways has added interesting hue to the otherwise austere yet beautiful terrain. You may be tempted to buy their ostentatious jewellery and colourful scarves. The Halari tribe, in particular is known for their appliqué work.

Nilgais

Flamingos

The wildlife tours on camels and jeeps will take you through one of the largest sanctuaries in India measuring 4950sq, km. The prize-winning animal is the Asiatic Wild Ass which is found nowhere else in the world. Chestnut brown in colour with white under-parts it is graceful and as strong as the horse. You may be lucky to see herds of them. The Nilgai, desert fox and a host of birds can be spotted. If you are lucky you will spot the chinkara gazelle (we didn’t). The water bodies around the Rann provide breeding ground and launch pads for migratory birds. Flamingos arrive in hundreds and are a sight to behold. Larks, land grouse, the common stork, nightjars and eagles are other birds that we spotted.

Sunset at Little Rann

The sunset and sunrise on the Rann is a photographer’s delight. With the wind on your face, the cracked earth below you and salt-pans in the distant horizon, there is a romance in the air which is inescapable and cloying. Day trips to the Sun Temple in Modhera and sari –shopping to Patan are to be included.

 A visit to the salt pans where salt is crystallized, gathered and despatched is a learning experience. The challenges and vicissitudes that the workers face make you realise how fortunate you are. The designated tribes  have been doing this work for generations. Their houses are sparse and clean .The people are  strong and optimistic.

In front of a salt mound

Tips: Take the afternoon trip to see the animals. Early morning safaris are to spot the birds. Cover yourself up because the wind can get strong at sun-set. Remember it’s an open land. Have shades and a hat with fasterners or the wind will sweep it away.  The water bottle is essential and of course a good pair of walking shoes .A powerful camera to capture the birds and the beasts for the wild-life buff.     

safari jeep, cracked earth and scattered salt  

"Short travel can be just as impactful and meaningful as long term travel"