TOP 5 PLACES TO VISIT IN KUTCH

Kutch is a district in the state of Gujarat in western India. It is India’s largest district spread over 7505 sq. km. The name Kutch means “turtle” or “tortoise”, so called because of its shape. This district has got everything in terms of tourist places. From ancient palaces to modern resorts and from deserts to sanctuaries.

Today we will talk about top 5 places in Kutch that are must visit.

The Great Rann of Kutch

The Great Rann of Kutch, which is also famous as White Rann, is a seasonally marshy saline clay desert. It is spread over 30,000 sq. km. and one of the most beautiful places in India. Here every year Rann Utsav is celebrated where thousands of visitors come and enjoy.

Kala Dungar

At 462m, it is the highest point of Kutch from where you can see entire northern horizon vanishing into the Great Rann of Kutch and sky becoming indistinguishable.Since this place is very close to the Pakistan border, you will get a chance to look at the border. Here you will also find a 400 year old Duttatreya temple.

Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary

Better known as Wild Ass Sanctuary, it is the home of sturdy creature. Here you will find world’s very last population of Indian Wild Ass along with other species like Blackbuck, Nilgai, Chinkara, Golden Jackal, Desert Fox, and Indian Wolf.

Narayan Sarovar

This place is the home to a wide array of species which includes birds, reptiles and mammals. It is also famous as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus. Narayansar Lake is one of the five sacred lakes in Hindu theology.

Vijay Vilas Palace

This palace was built in 1929 by Rao Vijayrajji. This palace was also seen in a Bollywood movie. It was built of red sandstone and has different architectures like colored glass windows, bastions at the corner, Bengal domes at the sides, and a main central dome. The surrounding area is covered by green gardens where you will always see lots of beautiful peacocks.

For more inquiry or to book a Kutch Tour Package you can visit our website at www.kutchtourguide.com.

The Source of This Blog: Kutch Tour Guide

ABOUT WHITE RANN OF KUTCH

The Rann of Kutch is a huge desert spread over approximately 30,000 sq. km. It is located in the district of Kutch in Gujarat state. It is also known as white desert because it is a large salty marshland which looks milky white. Kutch is the last frontier of arts, crafts, tribal culture, and traditions with this surrounded by the Arabian Sea and the salt encrusted desert wildness of the Rann of Kutch.

The flat desert of mudflats and salty clay are filled with standing waters during the rainfall.This land is located 15 meters above sea level.In the nearby Little Rann of Kutch, you will also find the famous Indian Bustards and flamingo city.Cloudless blue sky and Interspersed with green thorny bushes are the hallmark of this holiday destination. Looks white till the horizon, the whiteness of Rann merges with the grey of sky here.

You will be amused by knowing that Kutch is the only district in India where you can find all of the four distinct eco systems upland, grassland, coastal and desert. This district is extremely rich of nature. The White Desert Kutch is the largest and a unique seasonal wetland of its type in the country. These wetlands covers approximately 45% of the total area of Kutch.

Every year, annual festival RannUtsav is celebrated in the village of Dhordo in this desert. It is the festival of the life where tourists come and enjoy music, dance and traditional activities of Kutch. RannUtsav is organized by Gujarat Tourism Development and is an extravaganza of folk dances, music, and other activities. This year also it is currently being celebrated in the White Rann.

Talking more about this festival, it is a unique chance for travel lovers around the globe to visit this glorious land of Kutch and experience true essence of this beautiful arid region. Staying in the tent city while enjoying the shades of full moon with folk dance performances in chilling dark nights is an unexplainable experience.

The Source of this blog: Kutch Tour Guide

THE MEMORABLE RIDE ON A CAMEL AT MANDVI WINDFARM

Once upon a time, it was the major port of the region where trades with other countries were done. Yes, I am talking about Mandvi city which is famous for its clean, virgin beach and dabeli. The beauty and splendor of the city makes it a must visit place in Kutch district.

Blessed with typical tourist destinations, Mandvi city attracts thousands of tourists every year. It takes almost one full day to visit Mandvi. Age old Ship-Building yard, Vijay Vilas Palace, Topansar Lake, Handicrafts Market, Kranti Tirth, Light House and the famous Windfarm beach are some of the must visit locations in Mandvi. And yes, if you are a food lover, you must have heard of “Kutchhi Dabel” which was invented in Mandvi city and is still has the unbeatable taste here in the city.

Talking about beaches of Mandvi, there are two famous beaches one is the Windfarm beach, and the other one is private beach of Vijay Vilas Palace. The first one is free to visit while the other one costs you a little. Unlike most of the beaches in India, Mandvi is not palm fringed yet it is one of the best amongst all.

Windfarm Beach

You will see a series of retired wind mills planted on the beach and this is the reason it is called windfarm beach. This was Asia’s first ever wind-mills project built in the year 1983. Standing at the shore of Gulf of Kutch, watching the sunset inside still calm sea at the blue horizon is just unexplainable experience.

Like the other beaches in Gujarat, this beach also seems cheerful and colorful. When sand does not stick to the feet and ocean seems very calm, a camel ride along the beach would bring you all sort of interesting and unexpected experiences here. Other attractions includes water sports, kite flying and playing games. Taking a walk on this long beach line will be an unforgettable experience for you.

All and all this would be one of the best experiences that you will have while you are on the tour of Kutch. So if you are thinking to visit Mandvi beach after reading this, Kutch Tour Guide can help you with that. You can book your Kutch Tour Packages at our website www.kutchtourguide.com

The Source of this blog: Kutch Tour Guide 

THE WORLD’S ONLY INLAND MANGROVE ISLAND IN KUTCH

So what is a bio-museum? A bio-museum is a natural century in which a variety of plants species are preserved. So let’s today talk about Kutch’s very own bio-museum, a mango forest, a kind of a secret gold, but right in the heart of the arid planes of Kutch.

Standing majestically and definitely in the Rann of Kutch, they are no ordinary trees! An undiscovered biological museum, actually a forest island of mangroves. The likes of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Which is located near navinar village of MundraTaluka.

Popularly known as ShravanKavadia, this attractive land houses genetic strains and variability which is thousands of years old. But this magical, rare belies all facts as far as mangroves in Kutch are concerned. Having incredible heights of 30-40 meters, this expensive, lush, green forest is found to exist nearly 200 kilometers away from the sea.

An amazing phenomenon where one realizes that mangroves are the species that develop essentially near the sea. And normally grow only to marginal heights. But this in itself is not completely explained the significance and uniqueness of these mangroves forests. Perhaps the most interesting feature, this Jungle lies in its existence right in the middle of the bleak, desolate, salty land of Kutch.

The basic question that then arises is how and where do these mangroves exist so far from the sea? And grow within the arid landscape of Kutch. The answer is as incredible as the mystery itself. Perhaps the genesis of this diversity lies in the geological evolution of the landmass. Proving the geological past of the region, it is found that the Kutch had a history of geological changes. One such change was a gradual drying up of fresh water lakes and coming of sea water in its place. And the result, the Rann of Kutch transformed into a marshy and sealant landscape.

In fact, following the earthquake of 1819, an area of nearly 200 square miles was became in inland sea, perhaps suggesting the reasons for the genesis of this mangrove Gujarat island Kutch. People believe that they should not take any wood from this place following a mythological belief.

Whatever the reason behind the growth and development of this area, the fact remains that this living-bio museum could give us new insights into this magical phenomenon. And nature lovers should visit this unique, undiscovered place they are on Kutch travel. Kutch Tour Guide offers good Kutch tourism packages to visit this place.

The Source of This Blog : Kutch Tour Guide  

TIME TO VISIT THE GREAT RANN OF KUTCH

You see deep blue sky is merging with the nothingness of the salty white land somewhere over the horizon. Feel the beauty of nature and think that what you are seeing is beyond your imagination. This is the mesmerizing experience that every tourist of the White Desert have while their visit.

You won’t believe that this whole flat land gets covered with sea water during monsoons. The water recedes leaving behind salt marshes as the temperature rise and summer beckon. Camels strutted along the desert escorting both adults and kids throughout the desert. And a hot mass of vermilion orange sun set over the infinite salt pan. From the nearby highest point in Kutch, Kalo Dungar, the endless expanse of Rann of Kutch is distinguishably visible.

The village of Dhordo is located about 85 kilometers from the capital city Bhuj where the festival of arts, culture and beauty of Kutch, Rann Utsav is hosted and celebrated. A huge tent city is built on barren, arid, and cracked land in which tourists from more than 20 countries come and stay to celebrate the festival of life, Rann Utsav. Both AC and Non-AC tents are available for booking in the tent city.

Temperature here drop down to as low as 5° C in which you cannot escape the winters by just wearing warmers but by bonfire and enjoying together. In this Rann Utsav, people enjoy the real Kutch where dancers, musicians, puppeteers, and comedians keeps you entertained.  The beautiful Kutchi folk music is filled in the air and traditional dance add up icing on the cake.

Tourists may also want to try out various activities during their stay. These activities include ATV ride, para-motoring, Trikke, rifle shooting, Velcro wall climbing, tandem bicycle, archery Segway PT, bungee run basketball, sumo wrestling and much more.

Apart from these activities, people visit nearby handicraft villages like Nirona and purchase intricately embroidered Gaghra-Cholis, wallets, purses, cushion covers, bed sheets, shawls etc.These items are very rare and can probably be found in these villages only.Tourists are also offered a complementary sightseeing to all the famous places of Kutch like palaces in Bhuj, beach of Mandvi and the famous village Bhujodi.

The colorful culture of Kutch has many things to offer. From some undiscovered places to amazing handicrafts, Kutch is really a unique and one of the most beautiful district in India.

The Source of this blog: Kutch Tour Guide

THE ARTS OF KUTCH EXPLAINED IN 6 PICTURES

The diverse, rich and creative culture of Kutch has made a supreme contribution to medieval culture of India. Once a destination by sea and land for people from Swat Valley, Middle East, and Africa, Kutch has a rich tradition of arts and crafts.Look at these six pictures and we are sure you won’t need any more explanation of Arts of Kutch.

Ajrakh Blockprint

Ajrakh means “keep it today”. Artisans’ uses pre diced blocks that prints beautiful designs across the lengths of cloth.Ajrakh printed cloths are given as gifts to people especially on various occasions and festivals like Eid and bridegrooms.Artisan uses fast colors in Ajrakh prints hence it looks very beautiful.

Bandhani

Dye and tie craft is called “Bandhani” in Kutch. Bandhani art came to Kutch with Khatri community who migrated from Sindh and became a staple local source of income for them.Bandhaniartisans’ uses pomegranate and madder to dye their cloth in a beautiful range of hues just like block printing. It is very famous in India and other countries and imported in large quantity.

Copper Bells

The craft of copper coated bells evolved in the Kutch from the need of region. Communities like Bharvads, Rabaris and Maldharisuses these bells to tie their animals so that they can track them easily. One fact to know is that the artisans can give a particular sound required. These bells carry a life-time warranty and at a very high cost. Warranty means that if the bell changes its sound, or they see any fades in shine, the artisans refurbish it at no cost.

Embroidery

Embroidery is one of the very few arts of Kutch done by Kutchi Women. Kutch is famous for its fine folk embroideries in Gujarat and India.It is usually done on silk fabric and involves the use of woolen or silk thread to do the fine stiches to create elaborate beautiful patterns on the cloth which can be worn during various festivals like Navratri.

Rogan Art

Rogan is a technique of painting on crafted fabric from thick paint color which is especially made for this purpose. To do the Rogan art, artisans place a small amount of this color into their palm and uses a metal rod to paint. Then they folds their designs into a blank fabric to create a mirror image which completes the design. You will find many Rogan artisans in Nirona village of Kutch.

Weaving

Kutchi weaving are unique in the patterns and motifs that are woven into the fabric. The looms used for this weaving are also made by hand as per the need of customers. These shawls can weigh from 300 to 800 grams and looks very beautiful.

We hope that these 8 pictures will explain you the real art of Kutch. After reading this article, if you want to go to Kutch and purchase these beautiful arts and crafts, you can book your tour to Kutch with Kutch Tour Guide atwww.kutchtourguide.com

The Source of this Blog: Kutch Tour Guide 

FULL MOON IN WHITE DESERT, KUTCH

An utterly beautiful and undiscovered place is the White desert in Kutch. It is located in the Thar Desert and a marvelous place to visit. If you have every have the chance to spend a night in the White Desert under a full moon, you probably will count this spot to the most beautiful places in the world.

The name “white desert” was given because of the white coating of salt. During the monsoon, this land is filled with sea water and interspersed with sandy islets of thorny scrub and later in the summers, water is evaporated and it becomes milky white desert. When you stand and see far, it seems that the Rann of Kutch runs into horizon.

It looks so beautiful that Mr. Amitabh Bachhan says about this land, “Kutch Nahi Dekha, to Kuch Nahi Dekha”. It means that if you have not seen Kutch, you have not seen anything. He describes the beauty of the moon against the pristine pure white salt desert and says that it feels like you are watching the moon from another moon.Especially during the famous Rann Utsav, people enjoy seeing the moon with bonfire and folk music, dance performance at the tent city.

The experience of seeing the whiteness of the Rann and the moon rays merging into each other and creating an ethereal environment is just unexplainable. You get moon washed with the pure moon light permeating through every cell of the body while enjoying the infinite beauty of the White Rann in the full moon night. Feeling a sense of calmness and peace seems to reflect on life. And ultimately fid the whole body lightless.

The Source of This Blog: Kutch Tour Guide

LUXURY TOUR PACKAGES WITH KUTCH TOUR GUIDE

Kutch has many places and treasures to offer. To make bookings of Kutch tour easy and hassle free, we have designed many different packages. Here are the details:

1N/2D KUTCH TOUR PACKAGE

This is a very economical, starting range package for those who want to have a glance of Kutch in short time. Imagine a weekend you spend in Kutch where you will spend memorable time and take back a lifetime cherishment with you. In this package, you will be visiting all the famous places of Kutch like Bhuj, Mata na Madh, Narayan Sarovar, Koteshwar, Mandvi beach, Shyamji Krishna Verma palace, Vijay Vilas palace and many more.

2N/3D KUTCH TOUR PACKAGE

This is a luxury holiday package for those who want to spend some quality time and have highlights of Kutch. We are sure you will take some memorable moments with you which will make you visit Kutch again. In this package, you will be visiting Hodko village, Kalo dungar, White desert, Mata na Madh, Mandvi beach, Vijay Vilas palace, Shyamji Krishna Verma palace, and Historic palaces of Bhuj.

3N/4D KUTCH TOUR PACKAGE

This is a specially designed holiday package by our experts. This is an ideal holiday package for those who want to plan a short trip to Kutch with their friends and family. It includes all the key highlights of Kutch like Hodko village, White Desert, Bird Centaury,Indo-Pak border, Kalo Dungar, Mata na Madh, Mandvi beach, Vijay Vilas palace, Shyamji Krishna Verma palace, Palaces of Bhuj.

4N/5D KUTCH TOUR PACKAGE

This is a full-fledged Kutch holiday package for travel lovers. You will be able to explore the whole Kutch and various destinations like White Rann of Kutch, Mandvi beach, historic sites, glorious temples, wild life sanctuaries, palaces and many more.

5N/6D KUTCH TOUR PACKAGE

This is a luxury holiday package with lots of additional benefits to tourist. This holiday package will cover each and every famous place of the land of Kutch. With this package you will be visiting unexplored mangrove island, amazing white desert, world heritage sites,virgin sea beach, thriving wild life, breathing landscape, bird sanctuaries, caves,temples, fossil park,historic monuments, hills, forts,palaces, unique life style, nature cure centers and above all world’s best handicrafts.

CUSTOMIZED KUTCH TOUR PACKAGE

Every tourist is different and everyone’s choice is also different. If you think that all of the above packages does not meet your requirements and you want something more, you can ask us to design a customized tour package for you.

We, at Kutch Tour Guide, have years of expertise in tourism industry and we are dedicated to offer the best tour experience to our clients. You can book online Kutch travel package at www.kutchtourguide.com

The Source of this blog: Kutch Tour Guide

THE MOST COLORFUL FAIRS AND FESTIVALS OF KUTCH

Kutch is famous for its various fairs and festivals. Here people enjoys life by celebrating vibrant festivals. Different communities of Kutch like Koli, Jat Rabari, Megwal, Sodha, and Ahir come together and celebrate these festivals with extreme joy. Among all of the festivals, some are very unique and traditional which everyone must attend. They show the real culture, traditions, ethos and spirit of Kutch.Especially, monsoon is the season when most of the fairs are celebrated. Here are some highlights of famous fairs of Kutch.

MOTA YAKSH FAIR

This fair is celebrated at Yaksh which is located 40 Kms. From Bhuj city. This is said to be the largest fair of Kutch district. Hundreds of thousands people come here to enjoy this fair. It lasts for three days. “Yaksh” in the local language means the angels. People celebrate the fair in the memory of “Yaksh” (angels) who came here to save the people of Kutch from cruel rural and taught them some skills to live their life in a better way. Some people also call this place the mini “Tarnetar”.

HAJIPIR FAIR

Hajipir fair is celebrated in the memory of a holy saint “Hajipir”, at the tomb of hajipir. This fair shows the true unity of people of Kutch. Men and women from every religion come here to pray for them and celebrates the festival. “Hajipir” was so kind that he spent his whole life to serve the poor people of Kutch.

DADA MEKAN FAIR

This fair is celebrated at “Dhrang” village which is 30 kms from Bhuj city. This fair is celebrated to remember the great saint of Kutch, “Dada Mekan”. He spent his whole life in the desert of Kutch to help all the people who have lost their route in this Great Rann of Kutch. He was used to help them and show the way out. “Dada Mekan” had great partners like a donkey and a dog to carry water and food with them. During this fair, traditional events like wrestling and cart racing are being organized.

SHITLA MATA FAIR

This fair is celebrated at the Hamirsar Lake of Bhuj city. It is celebrated on the occation of Janmastami, birthday of Lord Krishna. It starts a day before the aatham and lasts for two days. People from all over the Kutch come here and enjoys food, small rides and camel riding at the Hamirsar Lake. On the second day of the fair, “Matki Fod” even is organized where people take part to break the “Matki” (pot).

JESAL-TORAL FAIR

This fair is celebrated at Anjar city which is 45 kms from Bhuj city. in the memory of Saintly couple “Jesal-Toral” near their temple. Talking about the history, Jesal Jadeja was a famous bandit of Kutch and Toral was a holy princess. Jesal became a saint when he got into the touch of Toral and her company. After they became saintly couple, they served the people of Kutch. We highly recommend everyone to watch this fair once.

NAGPANCHAMI FAIR

This fair is celebrated at the Bhujia Hill which are located in the Bhuj city. Celebrated on Shravan Sud 5, people pray the god of snakes in this fair. The temple of the god of snakes is located at the top of the Bhujia dungar.

OTHER FAIRS

Other famous fairs of Kutch include Mahashivratri Fair, Matia Pir Fair, Ramdevpir Fair, Jogninar Mata Fair, Ravechi Mata Fair, and Ravadi Fair of Mandvi.

All and all, people of Kutch knows how to celebrate the life at each and every point of time. All these fairs shows the unity of Kutch. If you also want to be a part of this celebrations, Kutch Tour Guide can help you with good Kutch Tour Packages. To learn more, visit us at www.kutchtourguide.com

The Source of this blog: kutchtourguide