Kutch a district of Gujarat is the God gifted natural place with the Rann and the Sea. Kutch is a place that highly famous for its natural, cultural and archaeological importance. Our visionary PM Shree Narendra Modi ji started the Rann Utsav of Kutch in 2005/06 to show the natural beauty and cultural heritage to all over the world. Kutch Rann Utsav: the colours of white Rann.
Dhordo – the village of Rann
Dhordo is the nearest village to the Rann of Kutch. Now it has become the key centre village of Rann Utsav. Dhordo is a village located about 80 km from Bhuj. With the starting of Rann Utsav Dhordo village becomes the main focus of Kutch folk cultural heritage and unique place for tourists.
Why is the Rann of Kutch white ?
Usually the Rann means the sandy soil but for the Rann of Kutch it is not only sandy but also salty. The Rann of Kutch looks white due to salty crystals. This is the special beauty of the Rann of Kutch. Due to the monsoon flood from rivers and the sea, the Rann becomes a lake in monsoon season. After water evaporates, the salty water changes into salt crystals that makes the Rann white. These white crystals reflect the sunlight into colourful sunrise and sunset.
Rann – the natural beauty of Kutch
The beauty of the Rann cannot be described in words. When the sun rays fall on the white salty crystals it reflects in beautiful colours. The scene of sunrise and sunset gives the capturable moment in one’s life. One can feel the colours of nature by seeing the vast beautiful plain white Rann. The beautiful sunset scene fills the mind with silent peace. Sitting on the salty wet sandy soil awakens the connection between man and nature.
Rann utsav visit time
Due to the watery land in monsoon, the Rann Utsav starts from November to February. One can go to and see the Rann after water recedes. The white Rann is seen in the winter season properly. The tourists can visit in this season to enjoy the white Rann.
Sakhi craft bajar–stalls of women talent
Our Indian government tries to give a platform to show the talents of female artisans. Sakhi craft bajar is such a type of medium where the females can participate enthusiastically. In Rann Utsav the Sakhi Craft Bajar presents the female talents. Females from the villages can contribute to the craft bajar. There are stalls which are handled by females. The stalls of eatery items specially of Kutch like Dabeli, panipuri, desi sweets, homemade juices and many more desi items. From the sale of desi items the females of Sakhi Craft Bajar not only earn money but also represent the traditional eateries to the foreign tourists.
Kutchi embroidery items – vocal for local
And there are Kutchi embroidery items!!! What a talent of Kutchi women!!! Tourists feel stuck by seeing the varieties of Kutchi embroidery items. The demand for Kutchi embroidery items increases due to its minute work. The mutva embroidery, soof work, Jat work, mirror work, Rabari work, Ahir embroidery, Aari work items, bead work and many famous Kutchi embroidery items are available here. There are items like sarees, shawls, blouses, chaniya, dress es, kurta and many other attires of Kutchi embroidery.
Kutchi handicraft items
Rann Utsav is really helpful to the local artisans of Kutch. Many local artisans represent their mastery by showing their handicraft items. There are stalls of rogan art items, mud work items, clay work, copper bell, wooden carving work, handwoven shawls and kala cotton Bhujodi sarees and dresses, handmade carpets, fashionable silver work items, paintings, kutchi Bandhani items, block print items, ajarakh item, metal work items and handmade home decor items. The vision behind this is `Har Ghar Swadesi, Ghar Ghar Swadesi’.
Magic of full moon in Rann
The people of the world are very busy in the present time in so many activities of earning money so, whenever they get time they want a very natural peaceful place. The Rann of Kutch is the best place to seek peace of mind. The vast Rann view gives the strength of nature and we realise that humans are just a little part of nature. Tourists who come from big cities are fed up with noises of machines and vehicles find here the eternal pleasure that boosts their energy level. The view of dawn and dusk enlightens the freshness of mind. The scene on the full moon day in Rann is worth seeing. The moon of the full moon night in the Rann is just like indescribable experience when any one sees it. How beautiful the moon on the full moon night in the Rann is !!! White Rann, shining moon, salty sandy white land, pure natural colours, peace, peace and nothing more. Any photo or any description can’t give the real feelings. If one wants to feel this beautiful Rann moon, have to visit the Rann, no other options.
Varied Activities for tourists
Photography
When we see the white beautiful Rann we feel its beauty. For the photography lovers there are many scenes to capture. They can capture different poses with white Rann and moon. There are the facilities of traditional Kutchi attire for photo shoots. The magical beauty of Rann attracts the film makers to shoot. The people can click their memorable moments in the Rann. Youngsters like to take photos with sunset or sunrise of the white Rann.
Enjoy camel cart ride
Camels are very useful animals in desert areas. Today due to development in means of transportation the traditional vehicles decrease. But still in villages we can see the traditional animal drive vehicles. In Rann Utsav the visitors can enjoy camel cart ride. The Kutchi people adorn camels and carts with their minute embroidery work pieces. The visitors amaze by seeing these traditional beautiful vehicles.
Folk music, folk songs and folk dance
Kutchi cultural folk are very famous and melodious in hearing. Folk songs singing with playing traditional instruments one can feel the deep effect of folk music that is not noisy like modern music. Some traditional Kutchi musical instruments are completely unknown to foreign visitors like ‘Morchang’, (metallic instrument) and ‘Jodia Pava’ (type of flute). The viewers are surprised by how the traditional music instruments are played by the skilled artists. These traditional folk music heritage passes from one generation to the next generation without any training. At night the tourists can enjoy the folk songs and music programmes sitting in moon light with authentic kutchi dishes.
Other attractions for tourists
Other attractions for the tourists are ATV rides and paramotoring. The plain vast area of the white Rann gives the pleasure of rides and paramotoring.
Favourite place for school picnic
With the Rann Utsav starts, the Rann becomes the favourite place for school visits. Local schools of Kutch as well as out of Kutch schools often visit the Rann. The students can know nature nearly, and feel the best experience from the visit. The students are the future of our nation, if they understand the culture they can value and carry on.
Bhungo for homestay in Rann
The people can enjoy the Rann festival while staying there. There are special Bhungas (huts) all decorated with authentic arts of Kutch. The walls of Bhungas plaster with clay and mud paint with village arts. The visitors can stay there and enjoy the beauty of white Rann. The people can enjoy the Rann festival while staying there. There are special Bhungas (huts) all decorated with authentic arts of Kutch. The walls of Bhungas plaster with clay and mud paint with village arts. The visitors can stay there and enjoy the beauty of white Rann.
Rogan Art – the special art of painting
Rogan Art is an art of painting that uses the drying oil technique. In present time only the Kutch is the land where the Rogan Art has been surviving. The visitors of the Rann Utsav also visit the traditional art places. Ashish Kansara lives in Madhapar Bhuj, is the master of Rogan Art and the authorised user of Rogan Art, preserving his paternal art. The visitors can search in google and visit there.
Culture of Kutchi people
Kutch is the hub of cultural identities. The people of the Rann have learned to live with all natural complexities. It is a wonder for everyone how Kutchi people live in the arid region and skilled themselves in every art either of Rogan art, varied embroidery art, clay art, mud work, folk music and singing, copper bell art, silver and gold work and many other traditional arts. Even the variety in their clothes, traditions, religion the people have mingled with each other. The traditional embroidered attire, folk dance and music attract the people from all over the world. The people of Kutch who are inspired by colours of nature now they become the torch bearers to others that how to live in the limited resources with their unlimited skills.
Kutch nahi dekha to kuchh nahi dekha.
If you haven’t seen Kutch, you have seen nothing.
