Category Archives: India

Where the river becomes the sky: Dibru Shaikowa

24 Sunday Jul 2022

Posted by in Assam, India

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The trip to this sanctuary was added to an assignment in the tea gardens in Assam that began on a Sunday. So I decided to fly into Dibrugarh a day earlier and visit the Dibru Shaikowa national park, renowned for its rich bird life. My friend Nisha decided to join me and later extended her stay to visit Kaziranga. We took the flight together from Delhi to Dibrugarh and landed there at 9:30 in the morning.

It was at the end of March which is usually the best time to visit this region. But when we landed at Dibrugarh airport, the sky was overcast. We were met at the airport by Sanjeeb, our guide. He took us straight away to the camp on Majuri Beel, a lake adjoining the park. The camp was very basic but its location was amazing – at the very edge of the lake so we could greet the fishermen rowing in their tiny canoes.  It had rained heavily the night before and the waters of the Brahmaputra had moved swiftly into the lake, swelling its level. This made it dangerous for us to go into the park.  So, we decided to go for a long drive instead. See https://wordpress.com/post/ocdfortravel.com/981

Early next morning we headed off to the park. It was completely overcast but thankfully there wasn’t any rain. We took a jeep and went to one of the banks of the park where a small canoe was waiting to take us to the grassy islands that dot the park.

You have to know that the Dibru Shaikowa national park is a highly unusual park. It is a swamp forest, on exposed patches of land, completely surrounded by the Brahmaputra and Lohit rivers in the north and the Dibru river in the south.  Each of these rivers is massive with many streams. So, picture tiny bits of grasslands encircled by countless fingers of water and you will see Dibru Shaikowa.  Add to this a dense cloud-laden sky and you will have a vision of us on that day, with water above, below, and around us.

As we sat in the tiny canoe, I wasn’t sure if the sky was seeping into the water or if the water was dissolving into the sky. In that brief moment, I thought I was suspended in space. I struggled to come out of my trance as we approached the island. In the grasslands, we walked in a single line, trampling dense undergrowth, listening to bird sounds. A weak sun came up, giving us hope to see the parrotbills. But soon, the clouds moved in and the sun gave up completely. We had to return. We raced back to the canoe but by the time we sat, it felt as if the whole sky had collapsed. It poured torrents of rain. Our raincoats were hapless fragments in the fierce downpour. But sitting there, soaking, the canoe swaying side to side, I felt immersed in the beauty and fury of nature. And that moment will stay as the abiding memory of this park. Just as it remains beholden to nature, all months of the year struggling to stay afloat, that showery morning, so were we…

Bhupen Hazarika’s Bridge

24 Sunday Jul 2022

Posted by in Assam, India

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It was 10 in the morning. We had a full day ahead and it was clear we could not go through our original plan of visiting the Dibru Shaikowa national park. It had rained suddenly the previous night and the swollen waters of the Brahmaputra had made park access impossible. So, we did what I have been wanting to do for a long time: drive across the longest bridge in India over water, the Bhupen Hazarika Setu.

The bridge, spans nearly 10 km, over river Lohit, a major tributary of the Brahmaputra. It is named in honour of Bhupen Hazarika, singer, and lyricist, an icon of Assam. His deep baritone, soaked in the culture of the northeast, connected this region to the rest of India.

We left our camp in Majuli Beel and in a breeze, we reached Dhola, on the southern side of the bridge. Our plan was to cross over to Sadiya on the northern end and then drive all the way up to Roing in Arunachal. When we got onto the bridge, it was completely empty. The sky was overcast. The river below was vast and unending. The small islands in the river were shrouded in mist.

And we were overcome by a sense of freedom, of joy, of being one with the place. We walked, skipped, jumped, and drove along with Hazarika’s haunting voice lifting us, his song ‘Dil Hoon Hoon’ playing at full blast on the car stereo.  

Off the bridge, we drove slowly past Sadiya, the place where Hazarika was born. Further up, we entered Arunachal Pradesh and at Bolung, we stopped at his statue. Called the statue of brotherhood, it looked amazingly life-like. Perhaps he was bemused that people here sometimes called him more Arunachali, than Assamese…

Soon, the landscape became more rugged with extensive bamboo plantations. People looked and dressed differently.  It was amazing that just as you cross the border into another state, how things could be completely different from what you left behind.  As we entered Roing, we were welcomed by towering snow-capped mountains. We stopped at this fantastic bakery for buns and great coffee. We picked up locally grown, dried ginger and elephant apples. Then we drove all the way back to the camp.  

It was dark by the time we got back. We went owl-spotting and got lucky with the Brown Hawk Owl and the Oriental Scops Owl. As we walked in the still night, millions of fireflies surrounded us. Nisha, like a magician, caught them in her palm and slowly released them. Somewhere, a bird called out, maybe its last song before settling in for the night. And, with a soulful Hazarika-type sigh, our day came to a close.

Champaner-Pavagadh: Following the sun through a heritage landscape

02 Saturday Jan 2021

Posted by in Gujarat, India

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Do people in Baroda understand how lucky they are? Maybe not all. But one person certainly does. Sameer Khera. My friend, Baroda-wala and an eternal traveler. Photographs from his frequent visits to Champaner-Pavagadh, filled me with travel-ache. So, when I was in Mumbai during Diwali holidays and started looking, Corona-eyed, at places within driving distance, C-P was an obvious choice. I called Sam to see if we could go together. But, as expected, the man had a travel plan on those very days. Then he did the next best thing and sent me a detailed itinerary of places I must see, along with the best times of the day to see them! Hurrah!

C-P is an 8 hour drive from Mumbai and we left very early. On the way, we took a short detour to Udvada, a place I had been meaning to go to since some time due to its significance as a Parsi spiritual center. By 3pm we reached Baroda and took the turn-off to C-P. These last 30 kms. were astonishing, as the plains opened up to the Pavagadh hill. Even from a distance, we could see the temples and old structures around its summit. And as we passed the city of Champaner, located at the base of the hill range, we felt we had entered a region of special historic significance. And it is. This is the Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, a vast area dotted by ancient monuments making it an important UNESCO world heritage site.

Our hotel Champaner Heritage Resort was a bit beyond the city of Champaner, in Bhamaria village, by the backwaters of the Kada dam. From a small island here, where we watched the sun going down that day, dazzled by the golden water and the silver bracelets of our boatman.

And we watched the sun come up again the next morning. Near the top of the Pavagadh hill, at the Saat Kamaan or the Seven Arches.

The hillside is strewn with monuments from the time of the Muslim rule of Sultan Mehmud Begda and earlier Hindu rulers, notably the Khichi Chauhan Rajputs. At the very top is the revered temple of Kalimata, attracting hordes of worshippers from all over. We did not visit the temple as the cable cars ferrying people to the temple were quite crowded. We meandered around the ruins, just below the jump off point for the cable cars. And discovered that we could have actually walked up the hill along a sheltered walkway that no one seemed to use.

A little while later, down in Champaner city, we sought out a guide. The rest of the day we tramped through the wilderness and saw a bewildering array of mosques. The One-Minar mosque, Shaher ki Masjid, Nagina Masjid, Kewada Masjid, Kamani Masjid. It appears that Sultan Begda, who made Champaner the capital of Gujarat in the 15th century, spread his troops and families all across the area. Where they settled, they built a mosque. Once the city went into decline, these mosques were taken over by the forest. All the mosques are similar in architectural style – a masterful blend of Hindu and Islamic. While the domes and minarets make you completely certain you are entering a mosque, the Hindu motifs and carvings inside, throw you off totally. Our guide told us that Sultan Begda did not have access to any Islamic artisans and he basically had to rely on local ones. These artisans went wild making what they knew best. And the result is that the Champaner city is “the only remaining complete and unchanged Islamic pre-Mughal city”, as quoted by UNESCO.

With the sun following us, we went from one awe-inspiring monument to another, covering mosques, step-wells, and fortifications. We spent many delightful moments just watching trucks, trams, rickshaws, people crossing the gates of the walled city.

Finally, we saw the sun setting from the Vadatalav Lake in a majestic glow of light behind the Pavagadh hill. We could not get a very good photograph, so I am using Sam’s below from his earlier visit.

This ‘follow the sun’ itinerary was really a wonderful gift and guide from Sam. It gave us a compass and companion, even when he wasn’t around. We felt also the presence of many other people who had invested time and energy in preserving this unique place. Our guide Manoj Joshi’s father Ghanshyam Joshi, has passionately recorded the monuments, contributed to archaeology books and played an important role in lobbying for UNESCO status for the area. They can be contacted at 9879542611/02676245611. Rahul Gajjar whose name came up several times, has photographed and organized events to highlight the importance of the monuments here. And the Sarvaiyas, affable owners of Champaner Heritage Resort, who are restoring their property and making it possible for more people to stay a few days and take in its beauty.

As Manoj ji told us, the Pavagadh hill range has many more monuments to behold. But we had to leave the next morning. So, as the sun rose, we pottered around the mango groves and village ponds, leaving the boat people to their centuries-old rituals. We are, after all, only passers-by. But this treasure remains, a breath away, for the people here and I hope they forever take care of it.

Picture credits: Hardeep Singh.

Hidden gems: Badami, Pattadakal and Aihole

07 Sunday Jun 2020

Posted by in India, Karnataka

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Why the hell had I not come here earlier? That’s the thought that came to me when I saw the Agasthya Lake, shimmering in the evening sun and circled on three sides by burnt red hills. The rays illuminated the ancient Bhutanatha temple and covered everyone in a golden glow. At the banks of the lake, children played, men chatted and women washed utensils, in a ritual that must have repeated every sunset since the 7th century. And that day, just for a while, I was part of this age-old scene.

We had left Pune at dawn, and driven through Satara and Kolhapur to reach Badami by late noon. The evening was spent exploring the Bhutanatha and Malikarjuna group of temples clustered around the eastern and north-eastern sides of the lake. We spent the night at the Clarks Inn. I ate dinner at a nearby canteen, gorging down dried jowar rotis, dal and some incredibly spicy chutneys. But then I am an intrepid foodie. My husband took the safer option and ordered room service. The next day, Just before dawn, we went back to explore cave temples that are carved into the southern flank and Badami fort built on the north-western side of the lake.

The Badami temples, comprising Hindu and Jain temples, are stunning examples of rock-cut architecture, dating back to the 6th century.

The Badami Fort, also from the 6th century, was the residence of the Chalukyan rulers. Its entrance is through massive rock walls and the monuments are strewn all over the sandstone hill. Some of the monuments are accessible only through narrow crevices and others are a long climb to the top. Sitting on the high boulders, looking at the winking waters of the lake and the cool breeze on our faces, a feeling of deep contentment…

View from the southern Badami cave temples. To the west is the city edging in

We would have loved more time at the Fort but had to leave for the two architectural marvels close by – Pattadakal and Aihole.

Skyline at Pattadakal
Iconic Durga temple at Aihole

These two sites are barely 10 kms. apart and together with Badami form the cradle of Hindu temple architecture, built by the mighty Chalukyan dynasty. Aihole especially was like an open-air school for architects from all over to come and experiment. What they created has now become a veritable museum of architectural styles from North and South India and which, from 1400 years earlier, have inspired temple structures all across India.

Why do these magnificent gems get overlooked by tourists? Maybe it gets overshadowed by Hampi? Maybe it is off the beaten path? But this UNESCO World Heritage site is an absolute must do. So, to help you put this on your list, here are the distances from more visited places

  • Goa: 238 kms
  • Pune: 446 kms
  • Belgaum: 146 kms
  • Kolhapur: 227 kms
  • Hampi: 140 kms

Plateau of Flowers: Kaas

04 Monday May 2020

Posted by in India, Maharashtra

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A short drive from Pune in Maharashtra lies Paradise. For me, living in Mumbai, it was always so close and yet so far. Because Paradise shows itself only for a brief spell of time – a month in a year. Usually this is from the start of September to early October, after the monsoon has made its last retreat. But when exactly, is never sure. And then, you may hit the month right but the particular day that you get there might be blown over by wind or rain or a swarm of dark menacing clouds. So, only the Gods decide whether you see it or not. Its paradise after all!

After years of waiting for the right time, finally everything fell in place and I got lucky. I had a work trip planned in Pune in the first week of October and the next day was a national holiday. I rang up the local administration to ask if the timing was right. They said that in fact, the monsoon had retreated late so it was only in the last week of September that the plateau had opened up. I took the chance and booked my visit slot. And left Pune just before dawn. I reached Kaas Plateau by 730am.

And there, spread out in front of me were magical carpets of different hues.

Only a few people wandering about, in stunned awe, on carefully marked walking paths. The guide led me along these, telling me the names of the wildflowers, their pattern of blooming…“this one here blooms only at 12 noon so we call it the 12 o clock flower” and “this one here are few now but every 12 years, the plateau is covered in them”. I listened to the names. But mostly I just soaked in the colors, the smells and the glistening morning sounds.

The Kaas Plateau is a UNESCO World Heritage site, takes in only a stipulated number of visitors each day, and has temperamental weather, The wildflowers bloom only after the rains stop and that too for less a month. So here is some advice on how to plan for the visit. The first thing to do is to closely monitor this site https://www.kas.ind.in/. It is run by local committees and they give real time updates on days of opening. They also have super helpful people you can call and ask for more advice. If possible go on a weekday. On the weekend or national holiday, make sure you reach there as soon as the park opens. You will get a couple of glorious, quiet hours before the crowds come in. This place is very popular with locals who seize the chance when they can. Yes, everyone wants a piece of Paradise.

Bundelkhand – The Heart of India

22 Monday Feb 2016

Posted by in India, Madhya Pradesh

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This is a memoir about travels between Khajuraho, Orchha and Jhansi in February 2016. These towns are part of Bundelkhand region in Central India and though I did not fully appreciate it at first, there is a distinct attachment of the people here to this identity – of being a Bundelkhandi. So, there is a Bundelkhandi language, cuisine, dance and song, culture and ofcourse the all awe-inspiring art and architecture.

It was really for the art and architecture that my friend and I decided to do this trip.

We took an overnight train from Delhi and arrived into Khajuraho at the break of a pink dawn. The cab ride from the railway station to the hotel was among green fields and a trail of small and big hotels. After checking into ours, we hit the streets. Khajuraho is really a small town with the temples as the focal point and hip cafes and hotels making the most of it. You can walk, cycle or take autos to see most of it. The temples are spread across three main areas – western group, eastern group and southern group. We started by exploring the western group. These temples face the east so that the first rays of the sun hit the idols. So, ideally the best time to visit them is during sun rise. Each temple here is poetry in stone. The sculptures speak to you. And the voice I heard mostly was the equal right of women to their own sensuality.  No subservience, no excuse for the gratification they sought and no shyness. Only the joy of being equal. We could learn many lessons on feminism from this 9th century marvel.

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9th to 11th century. Most of the temples are from this period when the Chandela dynasty flourished. And then amazingly, they were abandoned to be claimed by the forest. It was only in the 1800s that an Englishman Captain Burt discovered them quite by chance. All this and more fascinating stories related to the bravery and patronage of art of the Chandelas can be witnessed at the Sound and Light show in the evening (630pm English, 730pm Hindi)

We spent the late afternoon visiting the eastern and southern group of temples. A must-do at sunset is the Chatarbhuj Temple. This is a little away from the town center, secluded and simply beautiful. This temple is the only one facing the west so as to receive the last rays of the sun. Special here is the idol which combines three Gods Shiva, Vishnu and Krishna. Close by to this temple is the site of the newest archeological find – probably the largest temple of all – in ruins but you can see the solid base.

The next day we visited Panna National Park. We were not lucky enough to see tigers but the park was scenic with the beautiful Ken river that runs through it. There is very little chance to spot tigers here but if you go with a wish to see the natural wilderness that surrounds Khajuraho, you will enjoy this very much. Panna is not recommended if you don’t have much time. More rewarding is a slow viewing of the temples.

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Other than the temples, a total must-do is Raneh Falls – whether dry or in spate. This is a deep gorge with beautiful coloured rocks – with deep hues of pink, yellow, grey, black, greens. Usually when it has rained well, this gorge has multiple waterfalls and is said to be a wondrous sight. We went during a particularly hard drought time, so there were no falls and the water was in deep pools below. But the full splendor of the rocks was visible to us. Again very few tourists here so we spent some quiet time sitting with the swifts whistling as they flew by.

 

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There are several good places to eat in but we quite liked the Raja Café with its big neem tree and views of the temples. Excellent continental stuff. The Bakery by the lake – run by Lalit hotel – is also very nice.

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After two nights at Khajuraho, we drove to Orchha, at a turnoff some 10 kms before Jhansi. A nice place to stop for tea and snacks on the Khajuraho – Jhansi road is Alipura Palace. This is a heritage hotel run by the erstwhile king. We were served by Maan Singh who told us many tit-bits of Bundelkhandi food like their ber powder (made by drying and grinding ber) which is a cooler for the hot months. Also, things like badis (dried pulse dumplings) are quite popular. This food speaks of the aridness and the heat that is an essential part of living in Central India. We had lovely pakodas, green chutney and tea, said hello to the King and moved on. Alipura Palace, Maan Singh, 08085238223 www.alipurapalace.com

Orchha is bewitching. A multitude of spires and tall towers are spread around the winding Betwa river. The main site to be visited is the Palace complex along with a few important temples. There is also a sound and light show in the evening that we ditched to go and catch the sunset on the river. The reflection of the cenotaphs in the glistening water enticed us to visit the cenotaph complex in the morning. It was fantastic. Isolated, verdant and peaceful, these cenotaphs have a timeless beauty about them. The gardens are impeccably kept by the caretaker who has been at this job for the last 26 years. He also looks out for the birds that have these cenotaphs their home – vultures, parakeets and pigeons. A great place to stay at Orchha is http://amarmahal.com/

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We took the train back to Delhi from Jhansi but not before making a breathless stop at the Jhansi Fort. I would definitely recommend more time here. This fort brings to life the incredible story of the Queen of Jhansi – Rani Laxmibai. We have learnt about her in school but seeing the palace she lived in when she got married at 13, the courtyard from where she ruled after she was widowed at 18 and finally the steep height from where she leapt and fled after being betrayed by her soldiers at 23. The most definitive part of the story was her decision to adopt a son and pronounce him heir after her husband’s death. This is not a story of a sad suffering widow who gave up on life. She was dedicated to ruling Jhansi and wasn’t going to give this up meekly to the British. Our guide brought life to the story of this bold and daring queen by weaving an evocative poem into his commentary. His deep voice, full of feeling will remain in my ears. I am sharing it here but if he is around when you come here, do get hold of him! Chandan Prajapati, 09598809858

Another recommendation is of our driver Zahid – 8085082155. He is a proud and well-informed Bundelkhandi.  And yes, he is most respectful of feminists!!

Road to Rann

08 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by in Gujarat, India

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This is a 12 day long circuit by road from Delhi/Gurgaon to Kutch in Gujrat. Although I had been to Kutch several times earlier on work, my last visit was in 2007. The rest of the family had not been at all. And my son Anav was very keen on bird-watching there. So, this was an all family trip with bits of birding, history, landscapes and culture. We left on 27th December 2014 and were back on 7th January 2015.

The travel route to Kutch:

to kutch

DAY 1

Traveled to Udaipur. Left home at about 7am and reached destination at about 6pm. Great roads all through. Recommend eating a heavy meal just before the turnoff to Ajmer on NH8 as no great food options after that. Passed the wonderfully interesting cities of Ajmer and Chittorgarh on the way – each worth a stop and stay. The kids got their binocs to see the massive Chittorgarh fort that dominates the skyline as we passed the town. But we had to hurry on to Udaipur, so we did!

Stayed at: Chinar Villa, a homestay run by Ajit and Manju Rathore, a lovely couple who built this home to retire in. The rooms are very clean and reasonable. But the absolute gem is the enormous balcony that has the best views of the entire city. We got the room that has this balcony and I suggest you insist on this one. The sunrise and sunset from here are great. Location is quite central too. http://www.chinarvilla.com/aboutus.htm

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Ate at: 1559 AD. Okay food, nice atmosphere. Especially nice old ceramic plates on the wall

DAY 2

Traveled around in Udaipur. Visited the Monsoon Palace, City Palace. There was lots more to see but we really did not feel like. Instead we had a lazy lunch at Udaivilas and then parked ourselves at the sunset point – Deendayal Park for some great views. An alternative location for sunset is the Ambrai restaurant or even another branch of 1559, situated very close to Ambrai.

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Ate at: Don’s miss the samosas and kachoris at Jagdish Misthan Bhandar (fondly called JMB). For dinner, we had thalis at Gordhan near the railway station. They had good food but if you want authentic dal battis and don’t mind a basic eating place, then would recommend Santosh Dal Batti.

Stayed at: Chinar Villa…

DAY 3 and 4 

We left Chinar Villa at 8am and took the beautiful, rugged road to Little Rann. The NH8 stretch winded through the Aravalis – hilly terrain and tiny tribal hamlets.  We turned off the NH8 near Chiloda, somewhat short of Gandhinagar and passed the milky blue Sabarmati river. We then continued onto Dasada where we planned to stay for 2 nights at Rann Riders.

We reached in time for lunch and then swiftly went for our afternoon safari into the Little Rann. Mainly saw flamingoes. Also gazed long at the Wild Ass. The Rann of Kutch is the ONLY place in the world where they are found. The most beautiful part of this afternoon was the sunset. We went to nearby salt pans where salt workers continued to be busy making salt from the earth. Their children were children – jumping on the salt without a care in the world. Our kids had never seen salt being harvested before and they marveled at how many people had to work so hard to something as basic as salt in their food.

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There is something about the terrain at the Little Rann, unlike anything you will see even at the Greater Rann. Its location makes it a huge swamp, where water gets stored and then drained out into the sea. Coupled with the harsh sun, it becomes a salty swamp. The outer layer is like caked white mud as if the land is always thirsty. But a few inches below there is lots and lots of mushy water.

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We got an experience of this on Day 4 when we were busy bird watching. We got so excited chasing the Greater Spotted Eagle that we drove right into a wet patch of the swamp and got badly stuck. We had to be towed out! Getting off the jeep and feeling the wet mud sucking my feet in was a humbling experience. Never take nature too much for granted! Day 4 was all about great bird-watching: Indian Coursers, Avocets and the very rare Mcqueen Bustard. We also saw the elusive Desert fox. It was a pleasure birding in the company of some super birders here – Megh Roy Choudhary, Himanshu Jani, Jayantika and Prasanna.

Stayed at: Rann Riders (http://www.rannriders.com) is the best stay option in the area. The owner, Muzahid, is local and started this as a “nature” destination 12 years back. He has 6 dogs, 2 Persian cats, many geese, 17 horses, and a couple of emus on the resort! But now, it caters to all kinds of tourists – not just birders or wildlife enthusiasts. So, if you are focused on these two, you have to make sure that he knows. Then they will give you some of the best guides. Otherwise its a pretty place to stay for a couple of nights, close to Ahmedabad.

Ate at: Rann Riders – they do an all inclusive package. Very decent food and if you eat non-veg, fill up here as the rest of Kutch is unlikely to serve up any.

 DAY 5 and 6

Day 5 we moved deeper into Kutch district. Rann Riders is just at the mouth of Kutch and Kutch is the largest district of India, So, we had some distance to cover. We headed to the westernmost point we intended to reach, a place called Nakhatrana. This is right in the middle of the Great Rann and a good location to look out for birds in the region. On the way we passed huge windmills, many smoke-spewing factories – all signs of the rapid industrialisation of Kutch. Thankfully, this was largely near Kandla port and as we moved past that towards Bhuj, the beautiful barren landscape stood before us.

Kutch is very different from the rest of Gujrat – you see this in the vast empty spaces , the dry shrubs but most of all in the people. Rabaris in black moving on their horse carts, men in stunning multi-coloured shawls and scarves and women in clothes with intricate embroidery and glasswork. it is a living museum of craft. There are signs of modernity – good roads, shops, vehicles etc. but still the world of the nomadic Kutchis survives.

We reached Nakhatrana, had lunch and then left for the Banni grasslands. We saw the most glorious sunset on the last day of 2014 with thousands of Common Cranes coming home to roost at Chari Dhand. Unforgettable. And our first sunrise of 2015 brought us a sighting of Grey Hypocolius which can be spotted only for the first hour of the dawn, if at all. Other special bird sightings were of: Grey necked Bunting, Red necked Falcon, Cream coloured Courser, Marshall’s Iora and White naped Tit. We also did some great shopping –  pickles, earthern pots and clothes!

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Grey Hypocolius    Cream-coloured Courser

Stayed and Ate at: CEDO http://cedobirding.com/. This is a homestay run by a local NGO that focuses on environment protection and sustainability. It is led by Jugalji who is a renowned botanist with a passion for environment and geology. The rooms are very clean and airy. And the food is fantastic – all local Kutchi preparations. Definitely ask for bajra rotlas, baingan sabji, khicdi and kadi. CEDO provides naturalists for those interested in birding and geology and if you are lucky to have him, Jugalji is an expert guide. CEDO and Jugalji are also part of a comprehensive film on the Rann of Kutch by Discovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO8QV0PvQoU

Note: On earlier trips, I did not do Nakhatrana as the aim was not birding. So, if birding is not your thing, I recommend going to the most touristy part of Kutch – Kaladonger. This is a small hill from where you can see the white salt desert right till the border of Pakistan. You also can drive or walk into the salt desert here. There are tiny villages around where you can visit the homes of artisans and see the astounding beauty of the lipan work done inside and outside their houses, their embroidery and wood work. During the months of December to February, you could participate in the Rann Utsav held here and stay in tents and see artist exhibitions etc. There is also a lovely eco-resort run by locals called Shaam e Sarhad that you can stay at – I loved it.

Day 7

With our birding appetite satisfied, we now moved on to the more cultural and historical aspects of Kutch. We headed for Mandvi and Bhuj. Mandvi a quiet town by the sea. The beach is secluded, long and wonderful. For more solitude, we headed towards Modava. The drive is beautiful with little lagoons and ponds on the way. On the beach, we saw flamingos walking daintily and a jackal relaxing! Also, Shyamji Krishna Varma memorial is a good place to visit to see how this early revolutionary from Kutch contributed to the freedom struggle. We also briefly visited Vijay Vilas Palace – seen in many movies. It is located right on the beach. We were scheduled to stay in the tents but ditched the idea. They did not look great at all. We went to Bhuj and stayed at Amikunj, the home of our friends, Dipesh Shroff and Kirit Dave.

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Day 8 

What a breakfast we had at Amikunj! Hard biscuit type wheat bhakris topped with pickle for savoury and organic honey for sweet. We alternated between savoury and sweet and ended up eating A LOT. Large amounts of tea followed. We slowly moved to Bhujodi, a village very close by and very well known for its weavers. We spent the morning understanding the spinning, dyeing and weaving process – enthralling! And then ofcourse shopped for some great shawls and scarves. More shopping followed at the Shrujan shop – run by a NGO dedicated to improving livelihoods of women artisans and led by Chandaben Shroff, a lady who has inspired many including me.

But the truly amazing place that morning was the Living and Learning Design Center. This was under construction to be inaugurated in March 2015. But we were guided there by staff of Shrujan who explained the vision and intent. This place will showcase arts and artisans from all over Kutch, have live galleries and films and places for people to learn in. This is a must-see.

By 11am we headed towards 4500 BC – to the ancient Harrapan town of Dholavira! This meant now moving back eastwards from Bhuj to Rapar. This would also be our way out of Kutch into Rajasthan.

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Dholavira is situated on an island called Khadir Bet right in the middle of the white salt desert. To reach it, you have to pass a long stretch of black tarred road with the white desert gleaming on both sides. It’s an outstanding sight! What is even more astounding is the location of the site of Dholavira. It’s far far away in one corner of the island, resembling a large mound of mud. When you get closer you see a huge campus complete with a fort, houses, canals, drains, playgrounds and massive water tanks. At the highest point, you can see the white desert on all sides and can imagine a time when this was all sea and ships sailed all the way to Persia and Greece. And just 10 kms away is Sindh, in Pakistan where other major Harrapan sites can be found. Standing there, with the breeze blowing in, as it must have come in for centuries, you get in touch with something timeless and surreal. We slowly disengaged ourselves from that time and moved to the sunset point, near Fossil Park, a few kms away. On the way saw the Indian Fox and a pair of sandgrouse. We climbed a small hill before Fossil Park, from where all you could see is the white desert. And the sunset was magical. We stood there with not a soul around, only the sounds of the wind and wolves in the forest. As the sun went down and the moon came up, we walked on the white salt desert. First slowly and then running, chasing each other – laughing and happy to just be alive and in such a beautiful place. Perhaps what added to the magic was the near full moon. It stayed with us shining all the way back from Dholavira, through the tarred road to Rapar. As you can imagine, this was the absolute highlight of our trip to Kutch.

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Stayed at: So, whats the downside of visiting Dholavira? There is no decent place to stay at all. Dholavira has a rotten government hotel – to be totally avoided. There are no homestays allowed as it is a sensitive border area. You cannot camp without permission of the BSF so basically you have to stay at Rapar. There is not much to choose from at all. We stayed at the Suvidha Guest House – atleast we got clean rooms and toilets. Just slept and left early in the morning next day.

Day 9

Left Rapar for Mount Abu. On the way we made a small detour to Patan, the town known for its Patola weaving and beautiful stepwells. It was also the capital of the Gujarat Sultanate (before Ahmedabad) and has beautiful havelis. We could only stop at the Rani-ki-Vav, an exquisite stepwell built in the 10th century and then at Patola Palace, to see the intricate patola dyeing and weaving process. But Patan could be worth a couple of hours more.

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We continued on to Mount Abu and reached around late afternoon at the famed Dilwara temples. Whatever you hear of white marble Jain temples, does not prepare you for the beauty of these temples. I had seen Ranakpur temples but Dilwara made me do a double take. The fact that these were constructed in the 11th century, in such a remote part, with incredible fine detailing, it’s truly gob-smacking. In the evening, tired, we checked into our hotel and wound down.

Ate at: We were zooming off on the highway around noon when we saw restaurants with big signs “Non-veg served here”. The kids went mad, we stopped and had our first non-veg meal in a long time! Close by was the Havmor ice-cream parlour. So all in all, a long lunch and dessert distracted us from hurrying to our destination.

Stayed at: Bikaner House with sprawling grounds, its own lake and all the various memorabilia that make up such heritage places. The rooms were large and comfortable. Food was okay. http://www.palacehotelbikanerhouse.com/index.html

Day 10 and 11

Traveled to our last stop on the way back – Kumbhalgarh. We selected this as it was a good place to break the long journey back and we had heard good things about the fort and wildlife sanctuary. The drive there was very interesting passing by deep ravines, small lakes, rugged territory and tribal hamlets. This was the place I had first seen the ‘rehat’ or persian wheel nearly 25 years back when I had visited Ranakpur (located very close by). This contraption to lift water from wells/ponds powered by a pair of cows or humans was so intriguing, I never really forgot it. And now, so many years later, villagers continue to use this method and ‘rehats’ dominate the landscape. Some things will remain the same…..and why not?

Kumbhalgarh turned out to be pleasant surprise and well worth a lazy three days visit. We could only do two. The fort is huge – the length of its walls next only to the Great wall of China. The ramparts are formidable and the entire inner area is dotted with interesting temples and ruins. There is also a sound and light show in the evening which the kids found entertaining and we discovered a new Rajput hero – Raja Kumbhal! Large areas around the fort are actually a sanctuary for leopards, wolves and other wildlife. We went around for a night safari, very exciting and some near misses with a leopard! The guide was great – Rajkumar @07568486383.

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Stayed and Ate at: Club Mahindra. This is one of their nicer properties, well laid out and good food. The buffets are great value and ask for their local specials – ker sangri, gatte ka saag and ofcourse dal battis.

Day 12

Started the day early and drove all the way back to Gurgaon. back in time for evening tea!

Ate at: Ajmer family hotel just before the toll naka at Ajmer – the best toilets and parathas.