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Kachchh, India’s wild west, is a geographic phenomenon. The flat, tortoise-shaped land, edged by the Gulf of Kachchh and Great and Little Ranns, is a seasonal island. During the dry season, the Ranns are vast expanses of dried mud and blinding-white salt. Come the monsoon, they’re flooded first by seawater, then by fresh river water. The salt in the soil makes the low-lying marsh area almost completely barren. Only on scattered ‘islands’ above the salt level is there coarse grass, which provides fodder for the region’s wildlife.
The villages dotted across Kachchh’s arid landscape are home to a jigsaw of tribal groups and subcastes who produce some of India’s finest handicrafts – above all, textiles that glitter with exquisite embroidery and mirror work. In spite of the mammoth earthquake in 2001 that destroyed several villages, the residents of this harsh land have determinedly rebuilt their lives and welcome visitors.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Kachchh (Kutch).
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This 4953-sq-km sanctuary covers a chunk of the parched land of the Little Rann and is the home of the only remaining population of the Indian wild ass (khur), as well as wolves, blackbuck and chinkara. There’s also a huge bird population from October to March (this is one of the few areas in India where flamingos breed in the wild). Guides will arrange your permits for the reserve; the cost of these is normally additional to safari prices.
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Fifteen kilometres east of Bhuj, this superb NGO-run museum is a must for anyone interested in the crafts practised by Kachchh artisans. The well-designed and laid-out galleries showcase the 42 embroidery styles of the Ahir, Maghwal, Rabari and others. There are also exhibitions on block printing, plus a demonstration gallery (weekends only) where you can see the magic that goes into creating some of these pieces. Multimedia features let you learn about individual exhibits in greater depth.
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The name White Desert probably conjures up images of vast, silent expanses of searing salt desert where you can quietly meditate on life. Well, you can rub that image right out. Yes, the desert itself is magnificent, but in season thousands of domestic tourists descend on the place each day, bringing with them everything you didn't expect to find in this remote corner of India.
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This beautiful palace, built in 1752 and part of the Darbargadh palace complex, lost its top storey in the 2001 earthquake, but the lower floor is open, with a fantastic 15.2m scroll showing a Kachchh state procession. The 18th-century, elaborately mirrored interior is a demonstration of the fascination with all things European – an inversion of European Orientalism – with blue-and-white Delft-style tiling, a candelabra with Venetian-glass shades, and the Hogarth lithograph series The Rake’s Progress. There are lofty views of Rani Mahal from atop the tower.
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The village of Nirona, 40km northwest of Bhuj, features several distinctive crafts (lacquerwork, bell making), but none more so than the award-winning ancient art of rogan painting, brought over from Iran 300 years ago and until recently practised by just one extended family in India in this village. Today, though, the family has begun training others in the craft. These delicate, detailed cloth paintings take months of work.
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Based at Sumrasar Sheikh, 25km north of Bhuj, Kala Raksha is a nonprofit trust working to preserve and promote Kachchh arts. It works with about 1000 embroiderers and patchwork and appliqué artisans from six communities in some 26 villages. The trust has a small museum and shop, and can help arrange visits to villages to meet artisans. Up to 80% of sale prices goes to the artisans, who also help design and price the goods.
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Khamir is an umbrella organisation dedicated to preserving and encouraging Kachchh crafts in all their diversity. At the Kukma centre you can see demonstrations of loom weaving (including the recently introduced craft of weaving bags out of discarded plastic strips) and purchase quality clothing, organic-cotton goods, bells, pottery and other artisanal products at the shop. It’s about 4km beyond Bhujodi, towards Anjar.
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In Ajrakhpur, 6km east of Bhujodi along the Bhachau road, Dr Khatri heads a 10-generation-old block-printing business of real quality, using all natural dyes in bold geometric designs. Go in the morning if you want to see a demonstration of the fascinating, highly skilled process. You can buy tablecloths, shawls, skirts, saris and other attractive products.
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Just past the Bhujodi turn-off, behind the GEB Substation, Shrujan is a nonprofit trust working with more than 3000 women embroiderers of nine communities in 114 villages. Its showroom sells top-class shawls, saris, cushion covers and more. The embroiderers' other wares are on display at the LLDC Crafts Museum.