White Desert of India | Rann of Kutch | Road to Heaven | Dholavira Village | Gujarat
Some people like the sea, while others, like me, prefer the mountains. However, this beautiful place in India offers a unique option that is unlike any other in the country. It is neither a sea nor a mountain, yet water flows here like the sea, and the land is as white as the snow on the mountains. This is the only white desert in India. This is the Rann of Kutch. On the other corner of India, located in Kutch, Gujarat, lies a vast and never-ending white desert, entirely made of salt—a true wonder of nature.
Welcome to India's largest white desert, the Rann of Kutch. In fact, "Rann" means “Desert” in Gujarati, so the Rann of Kutch translates to "Desert of Kutch." As far as the eye can see, all you will see is a stunning expanse of white. And after coming here, it feels like the entire world is blanketed in white, with no end in sight. Whether viewed from a drone or from the ground,
the landscape is a vast white desert. This desert spans not just 100 or 200 kilometers, but covers an area of over 7,000 square kilometers, all located in the Kutch district of Gujarat, making Kutch the largest district in India. The spot where I am currently sitting was completely submerged in water just a few days ago. Now, as the water has evaporated, it has transformed into salt, a beautiful result of nature's processes. how the drying up of water has transformed this area into such an expansive white landscape. The beautiful white desert you see now was not always here.
Previously, there was only water, which never dried up. However, an incident occurred that transformed it into the Rann of Kutch, this stunning white desert. I will explain the reason for its formation later. To understand how it came to be, one must venture deeper into the desert, as there is an island at its center. which is connected to the mainland or, as some may call it, the rest of the world by one of the most beautiful roads in India, known as the "Road to Heaven." This 30 km long road is visible at the beginning, but it seems to never end.
While driving on it, it feels as if the sky and earth merge into one, making you feel as though you are traveling somewhere into the sky, with no end in sight. This is why the road is known as the “Road to Heaven." The views on both sides of the road are stunning and constantly changing. Sometimes the landscape is covered with water, while at other times, there is a white salt desert. Currently, the area I’m in has both these elements, creating a scene reminiscent of glaciers in Antarctica. White glaciers stand with water flowing between them, In some spots, the salt deposits appear like pieces of glacier rising from the ground, resembling snow-covered ice.
Together, these elements create a remarkably unique and beautiful scene. The views you will experience along the Road to Heaven truly reflect the beauty of heaven itself. It is so stunning. This road is built over a part of the Rann known as “Kutch Lake”, which is filled with water for half of the year.
After crossing this road, you will reach a beautiful island called “Khadir Bet”. While many villages are located on this island, but the specific village that the Road to Heaven leads to is “Dholavira”. “Hello”. I am currently observing the culture and the people living here, trying to understand what it's like to reside on an island in a village. In Dholavira, I noticed that there are more cows, oxen, and goats on the streets than people.
However, when I did see some people, I realized that despite the stark whiteness of the Rann, the clothing of the locals is vibrant and colorful. I couldn't help but ask about these beautiful garments. Laughs! This is known as "Kutchi Bharat Work."
The design is first sketched with a pencil, and then the Bharat work is added, a process that takes between one to three months to complete. Once finished, the garments are worn by women after wedding. The colorful bangles they wear, these bangles are also worn only after the marriage, not before. You never take it off? No, Never, it is worn for the whole life.
For the whole life? Okay. Speaking in Gujarati! You keep moving it up and down like this. Okay, Okay. While roaming around like this I met few more people. Namastey, Hello!. What do you people use to greet?
Namastey! Namastey, okay! And in Gujarati, Ram Ram ,Kem Cho, Majja ma? Kem Cho(How are you?). Kem Cho Sir? Maja Ma? Maja Ma( I am fine). Are you going to do some farming now? I just went to make coal. Where do you get the coal? It is made from the bushes, from the wood.
Does everyone make it? Yes, everyone does. We practice dry farming since sometimes it rains and sometimes it doesn’t. Okay! He also showed me how coal is made here. Okay, Okay! A thorn entered my shoe, there are a lot of thorns around. To make coal, they cut the wood and arrange it in a mound, like a pyramid, and cover it completely with soil.
They leave a small opening for smoke, then light a fire. The wood burns slowly for two to three days and turns into coal. Is it hot?If I touch it . Yes, it is a little hot. Yes, it is hot. Look, it breaks easily.
This is very good quality coal. In the bushy area filled with trees, some fruits are also growing. What is it? Show it to me.
Ber(Jujube). Do you grow these fruits, or do they grow by themselves? We grow them and in a lot of quantity as we sell it. You have grown them? We have grown them, it is sweet in taste. Yes, it is tasty. While I was eating ber, this sweet brother invited me to his home for lunch.
Look, she is preparing a vegetable dish. Okay, Okay. “Is this from your farm?” “Yes, it’s from my farm—cluster beans.” For lunch, we had the same farm-grown vegetable along with the special "Bajra roti" from this region, which is commonly eaten here. This bajra roti is referred to as "Rotla" because it is quite large.
“Is everything homemade?” I inquired. “Is this buttermilk as well?” “Yes, it is made from cow's milk. It is quite a big bread. Eat, you will love it. "Eating heartily is nothing to be ashamed of." After enjoying such a healthy meal, I bid farewell to everyone and prepared for my next journey.
I am saying bye to you. “How do we say goodbye in Gujarati?” In Gujarati it is “Aao ju”. Aao Ju Brother, Aao Ju Sister. If you ever come this way again, please visit my house. Yes, I will definitely come.
Aao Ju. As we approach the shore of the island in Dholavira, we are greeted by a stunning sunset. In this part of the Rann, the water reflects the sky so beautifully as the sun sets.
It feels as if I am standing in the air, almost as if I am suspended in air. I find it difficult to discern where the land ends and the sky begins. It’s hard to believe my eyes after witnessing such a breathtaking & clear reflection created by nature. At this moment, there are two suns in this world, as an endless reflection is visible across the entire “Kutch Lake”. Without seeing it, no one can believe that what I am witnessing right now is real. When I returned here at sunrise, I began to understand the difference between the water and the sky, as well as the unique geology of this desert.
As you can see now, the wave in water is rising. I had come here when there was no sunlight and was filming a video. After a while, I noticed that my feet were starting to sink into the water, and my situation worsened and got panicked.
It became clear that the water tides were gradually advancing toward me, so I quickly ran behind. This water is not like what you experience in the sea or the ocean, where waves come in and recede. Instead, here, the water was steadily moving forward. and there was no water at this point until the high tides brought it in.
Interestingly, the speed at which the water moves forward decreases once the sun rises. It's quite amazing to witness all these different phenomena here. It is worth considering how this unique landscape of Kutch, which is sometimes filled with water and at other times covered in salt, came to be.
Many years ago, much of this region was part of the Arabian Sea. Although the sea was shallow, it was still an ocean where numerous rivers flowed. In old maps, this region even appears as an island. However, in 1819, a significant earthquake occurred, which dramatically altered the landscape. measuring over magnitude of 8, This earthquake caused a large portion of Kutch to uplift, forming a landmass that is 90 kilometers long, 25 kilometers wide, and 20 feet high. As a result, the flowing rivers changed course, and Kutch became separated from the rest of the Arabian Sea.
Over time, the water in this area gradually dried up, leading to the formation of the Rann of Kutch. The area formed by the earthquake is known as Allah Bund, which translates to "Dam of God." This bowl-like terrain in Kutch, holds monsoon water even today, resulting in it remaining submerged under less than a meter of water As summer arrives, the water dries up, leaving behind a white salt desert. Because of this Rann of Kutch, India produces 80% of its salt which is almost 7,000 tons daily which is transported via the Indian railway network throughout the country. The scale of salt farming in this region is so extensive that it can be seen from satellite. Consequently, there's a high likelihood that the salt you consume originates from this same salt fields of Kutch.
Even today, earthquakes frequently occur in the land of Kutch. Some canyons formed by these earthquakes serve as evidence of the tectonic activity in the region. One notable canyon is located in Dholavira, which is known locally as "Bhim Goda." Rainwater collects in this crack in the land.
To protect themselves from the earthquakes that happen every few years, the people living in Kutch have built a type of structure called a Bhunga. This is a round mud house with a roof made of dry grass and wood, making it completely eco-friendly. The thick, circular walls of the Bhunga help prevent it from collapsing during earthquakes. But how effective is it really, I asked the people living in them.
So do you like living in this house here? Or in those houses which are made of concrete? Speaking in Gujarati. This one. Laughs! Okay. Speaking in Gujarati.
What is she saying? She is saying those houses collapsed in earthquakes but it does not. While living in this house, have you ever experienced an earthquake? Yes, there was an earthquake in 2001. Was this house here at that time as well? Nothing happen to it during the earthquake? No, Nothing. Okay! After some time, I had the opportunity to enjoy a strong cup of tea made in this sturdy Bhunga house. What is she saying? She is saying, You won’t find tea like this in Delhi. Laughs! Speaking in Gujarati.
Do you really drink tea from a plate like this? And from the cup? No, not from the cup, but from the plate. Speaking in Gujarati. No, no it is fine.
No, No I will have it this way only. It’s okay I will have it from the plate. Speaking in Gujarati. Laughs! It is really nice.
After saying goodbye from there, I went to the other side of the Rann, where I could see water all around. I also spotted beautiful birds, These are the black-winged stilts flying over the water of the Rann, which has brought life to the silent sky of the Rann. But there is something even more beautiful in the sky of the Rann, The Moon. On the night of a full moon, this white desert transforms and appears almost like the moon itself. Right now, where I am standing is a completely white desert, with a full moon shining above.
This entire white landscape reflects the moonlight beautifully. I can see it vividly with my eyes, but it's not being captured as well on camera. If I turn on the light, I can see everything so clearly and beautifully. The white salt crystals in this desert reflect the moonlight beautifully. I will definitely share some photos with you later so you can see how it appears! Until now, I have seen that much of Kutch is deserted, but it also has a beautiful city—Bhuj. The best place to appreciate the beauty of this city is from the highest hill in Bhuj, known as “Bhujio Dungar”, where the old Bhujio Fort is located.
To reach the highest point, one must climb thousands of stairs. Gasping! I ran very quickly to get there because the sunrise was approaching and I wanted to arrive early. The view from the top is breathtaking, being at such a height makes you feel like a king.
This magnificent fort is older than the Rann of Kutch, and it's fascinating to consider that places like Kutch or the Allah bund dam could be formed at any time by the will of nature. In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that similar events could happen again in the future as nature itself has the power to create or destroy. However, despite all this, life does not stop here. Living in this place, surrounded by salt, even though the air and water may have become salty, the nature of these people remains sweet. You won’t get such tea even in Delhi.
Laughs! Okay. How do we say Bye in Gujarati? In Gujarati we say Aao Ju. Aao Ju. If you ever come this way again, please visit my house. Yes, I will definitely come.
Aao Ju, Aao ju. When these individuals discover the joy of living despite being in these challenging circumstances, then why do we continue searching for reasons to feel joyful even when we are immersed in the goodness of life.
2025-01-04 20:34
