Rann of Kutch, the unparalleled beauty can never be sufficed in a photograph as that to the naked human eye. What was once a sprawling shallow of the Arabian Sea is now a seasonal salty marsh desert after the constant geological shift closing off the connection to the sea. Located in Gujarat, primarily at the Kutch district, this large area of salt marsh stretches up to the southern tip of Sindh, Pakistan. Rann of Kutch splits into two main divisions- Great Rann of Kutch and Little Rann of Kutch. The Little Rann of Kutch is a small salt marsh desert near the Great Rann of Kutch, which is renowned to be known as the largest salt desert in the world and is located in the Thar Desert. This massive expanse of cracked earth promises to take your breath away by its endless sight of nothingness that runs for miles and is both nerve wracking bewildering and stunning with small oasis of water bodies and shrub forests doubling up as homes for pink flamingos and wild asses and is a haven of surreal landscapes to every photo enthusiast .
As the marshland fills up with water during the monsoon and the wetland extends from the Gulf of Kutch to the west right through the Gulf of Cambay on the east and the water dries to create a crunchy based bed of white salty land during the summers, the best time to visit the Rann of Kutch is during the winter months from October to February, when the famous annual Rann Utsav is held and the weather around is best suited for sightseeing. The festival also allows you to access to the best places of accommodations with a close proximity to the White Salt Desert like the luxurious White Rann Resort that offers air conditioned tents and mud bhungas or huts along with other modern amenities and great comfort.
In terms of sightseeing, you cannot miss out on exploring a plethora of interesting places like, Dhordo, the Mandvi Beach, Bhuj, Dholavira, etc apart from the flawless Rann of Kutch that will definitely overwhelm you by its Tribal hamlets of cylindrical mud bhungas (huts) which are the focal point for Kutch embroidery, tie and dye, pottery, leatherwork, bell metal craft and the famous Rogan painting by the only surviving expert family all of which sets stalls at the Rann Utsav that allows multiple opportunities to tourists to explore local crafts and take back their gorgeous creations as souvenirs. Other attractions to the Rann Utsav include daily cultural performances that allow tourists to understand the cultural heritage of that spectacular region. Another significant and ethereal sight is the scenic view of the White Rann on a full moon night which gives you a glimpse of the literally gleaming White sea-like Salt desert under a full moon that shines brighter than the Sun, the scenic hue of this sight cannot be justified by any picture unless witnessed by the naked eye. Lastly, Approximately 200 km east of the Rann at the Little Rann of Kutch, there lies a 4953-sq-km Wild Ass Sanctuary which houses the only remaining population of the chestnut-coloured Indian wild ass or khur, as well as blue-bulls, blackbuck and chinkara which is also a very exciting experience amongst a sea of others at the Beautiful Rann of Kutch!
