PROMOTION
A
land synonymous with
vibrant dandiya nights,
colourful costumes and
abundant culinary
delicacies, Gujarat conjures images
of one of the largest salt deserts
in the world—Kutch. Rann itself
means ‘salt marsh.’ While it
stretches into the Sindh province
of Pakistan, in Gujarat it is divided
into the Great Rann of Kutch and
the Little Rann of Kutch.The Wild Ass Sanctuary
Possibly the biggest attraction
of the Little Rann of Kutch,
the Wild Ass Sanctuary spreads
across nearly 5,000 square
kilometres. Locally known as
ghudkhar, the wild ass is found
exclusively in this part of the worldto wildlife such as blue bulls
(neelgai), Indian gazelle (chinkara),
black buck, Indian wolf, jackals,
two types of desert fox (Indian
and white-footed), and striped
hyenas. Due to its proximity
to the Gulf of Kutch, it also lies
on the migration routes of various
birds and is an important breeding
and feeding ground for them.
Every year, almost 75,000 birds nest
in the reserve, including the pink
fl amingoes that start arriving at the
'fl amingo city' in October. The other
exotic species that you are likely
to sight are the ceraneous vulture
from Egypt, the common and
demoiselle cranes from Siberia,
the blue-tailed bee-eater from
Europe, and the houbara bustard
of Iran and Iraq.and looks like horse and donkey,
but hails from the horse family
and has similar strength and grace.
The population of this endangered
species is around 3,000 and the best
time for sighting them in herds is
between October and November.Flora And Fauna
Nestled between the Arabian Sea
and a vast desert, the Rann of Kutch
is blessed with a variety of
ecosystems including marshes,
mangroves and desert vegetation.
Small dusty heaps or islands amidst
the wetlands are locally known
as ‘beyts.’ You will fi nd upto 205
different species of fl owering plants
and types of vegetation in these
beyts. Besides the wild ass,
the Little Rann of Kutch is homeWHERE
CULTURE
MEETS
ADVENTURE
THE LITTLE RANN OF KUTCH, WITH ITS UNIQUE WILDLIFE, INIMITABLE LANDSCAPE,
RICH HERITAGE, EXQUISITE CRAFTSMANSHIP, AND WARM HOSPITALITY, IS A LAND
LIKE NONE OTHER. EXPLORE IT NOW IN ITS PRISTINE SPLENDOUR.
THE LITTLE RANN OF KUTCH, WITH ITS UNIQUE WILDLIFE, INIMITABLE LANDSCAPE,
RICH HERITAGE, EXQUISITE CRAFTSMANSHIP, AND WARM HOSPITALITY, IS A LAND
LIKE NONE OTHER. EXPLORE IT NOW IN ITS PRISTINE SPLENDOUR.
The wild ass is found
exclusively in the
Little Rann of Kutch.
Above: The traditional
jewellery of the different
communities of Gujarat
make great souvenirs.
NEHA & CHITTARANJAN DESAI/GETTYIMAGES; (ABOVE) TRAVEL INDIA/ALAMY