Little Rann Of Kutch





The rusty paint-smattered jeep didn't start the first time I turned it on. I tried again and my heart jumped as it revved loudly, the only sound echoing in the lonely desert landscape. I had somehow convinced our local driver to hand over the wheel to me. He had looked surprised at first, but then he agreed promptly. 

   We were in the middle of nowhere. 

    I could do whatever I liked, and he had just handed me the golden key to freedom. He grinned at me with his tobacco smeared teeth, wrapped his orange scarf around his head, and nodded at me. He was ready for the adventure. I took a deep breath. I had never driven a safari jeep before, especially not one with a hand gear drive. 

   Oh man. Here we go. 

   Before we knew it, I was in fifth gear, and speeding through one of the natural wonders of India, the vast expanse of the great Thar desert. We were in the Little Rann of Kutch, a seasonal land marsh renowned for the dramatic white beauty of its barren flatlands. I steered towards the setting sun, and the cracked land below erupted into flocks of silver as the 'short-toed' larks flew ahead of my jeep. From the corner of my eye towards my far right, I glimpsed the wild asses galloping in all their glory, racing my jeep! 

   I was laughing, exhilarated. What fun! 

   I don't remember how long I drove, how far ahead or even in which direction, but I remember that feeling.











             The Little Rann of Kutch is the world's last refuge of the wild ass, and has been declared as the 'Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary' for conservation purposes. 

    While most tourists visit the sanctuary for this rare animal, not many know that the Rann is rich in biodiversity. The marshland is an ecologically important area for many local and migratory waterbirds like cranes, ducks, pelicans, flamingoes/ land birds like sandgrouse, francolins, and the endangered Indian Bustards. It is also home to unique mammals, such as the Indian wolf, desert fox, and nilgai. 

      It is for these lesser known species, that me and a small group nature enthusiasts bundled into rickety old safari jeeps, and sped off into nowhere at the mercy of the hot desert sun!

     The flatness of the land sucked out any scope for imagination, as it stretched on monotonously. Silent as the night and scorched by the sun, it was parched seemingly thirsty for rain. There were no trees providing shade in sight, and the unforgiving flora consisted only of a few bushy xerophytes like acacia and salvodora, amongst other shrubs. 

      I was reluctant to place my feet onto the broken pieces of mud, wary that the slightest weight would split the ground open. I was surprised when it held firm. 

     With the guidance of the locals, we were able to navigate the marshland, narrowly missing treacherous patches of quicksand and glimmering mirages that beckoned us invitingly. There was much amusement on both sides when the locals quizzed us as to what was a mirage and what was real! Towards the end of the trip, I got much better at identifying the difference and was pleased to gain some desert survival skills.

    As we slowly cruised along, the treasures of the marsh were unveiled to us in this unseemly paradise. My apprehension slowly dissipated, as I realized that there was much more to this place than meets the eye.

    Nature never fails to amaze me! 











































   

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