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  • Homeward bound : Day 4 – Museums and memories

    It was mid morning by the time we reached Bhuj and since this was our last day we wanted to make the most of it. We still had three museums left to see and one village to visit before we could tick off the boxes so after dumping our luggage at the hotel, we began sight seeing with renewed vigour.

    Palace of mirrors

    We began with the 18th century Aina Mahal which was once the residence of the Maharajas and now converted into a museum . Thanks to the 2001 earthquake, the upper story has fallen down but the palace still retains traces of its former glory and is currently being restored. We saw the Hira Mahal which was the king’s bedchamber with its low bed with gold legs ! Also displayed were the king’s possessions like the porcelain serving platters covered with broody hens as lids ! The central hall with its lights and chandeliers has walls lined with hand embroidered panels. The Delft tiles on the corridors, wooden fretwork and Venetian glass and mishmash of oriental and occidental paintings and artefacts creates a unique style that is opulent with a touch of whimsy.

    Though the palace looked a wreck, from the inside one could see the remnants of a glorious past .

    We re-visited the Kutch Museum which was closed on our first day and I’m glad that we saw it on our last day when all the exhibits made more sense .

    The underground snake

    According to one of the many legends that abound, Bhuj rests on the head of a snake. The first king who settled there was supposed to kill the snake with a smooth thrust of his sword but instead, he pulled it to check his aim. This unfortunately resulted in an injured snake still living underground. In yet another story, the snake is personified as King Bhujang and still lives below Bhujio Hill . A steep climb up this hill leads to a temple that people still go to.

    The writhing snake underground is represented by this imposing steel sculpture that decorates the bottom floor of the SmritiVan Museum.

    The legend of the snake is depicted in the convoluted steel pipe sculpture on the ground floor of the spanking new SmritiVan , a museum commemorating the Bhuj 2001 Earthquake . The memory park with each tree marking an earthquake casualty and the backdrop of Bhujiyo hill is the perfect foil for the building that is a stunning piece of modern architecture. It is truly international in its construction and functioning.

    After visitors buy their tokens , they have to wait a while for their guide who will take a group of 20 around through seven blocks. In the sixth gallery , visitors actually relive the horrendous 90 seconds that shook Bhuj. And in the last gallery visitors observe a minute’s silence while names of the dead flash up on the walls.

    While waiting for our turn, we were entertained by a folk musician . In the near distance we could see the new city of Bhuj reconstructed after the earthquake

    A local musician provided entertainment with live music while visitors waited their turn . The newly constructed city of Bhuj can be seen from the museum.

    Reviving lost embroideries

    The museum has a fine dining restaurant so we grabbed a quick bite before making our way to the last museum on our list :the ShrujanLLDC which is at Ajrakhpur on the outskirts of Bhuj. Started by Chanda Shroff way back in 1969, Shrujan is responsible for the revival and regeneration of the embroideries of Kutch that threatened to become extinct.

    Photo from LLDC website used without permission

    Photos of LLDC taken from Website without permission.

    Woven skills of Bhujodi

    The sun was setting and it was getting late but we made one last stop at Bhujodi a village that turned out to be a fabulous place to buy local embroidered and woven stuff as every home had its own hand weaving workshop ! It was too dark to take any photos but this little village is a shopaholic’s dream .

    We visited the charming home of Vankar Vishram Valji who was about to shut shop for the day , but still showed us his fascinating weaves up for sale . The village house with its cow shed, open kitchen, looms and living space is truly the original work from home model.

    Having resisted the allure of Kutchi textiles , I finally succumbed on the last day and bought this gorgeous woven stole for myself .

    Sweet memories

    There was still one box left to be ticked – taking back a sweet memory of Bhuj. So Mr Mitul to took us to Khavda ( the famous sweet shop ) to buy some local delicacies. With Winter still in the air we bought the seasonal specialties.

    Adadiya ( below ) and the Gundar Pak the Winter specials

    And now we were ready to get back home.

    Ciao

  • Travels to the West : Day 3: Dholavira

    Travels to the West : Day 3: Dholavira

    After the brilliant sunrise on the Raan we made our way to Kalo Dungar the highest point in Kutch before going to Dholavira.

    We stopped at a Kharad ( carpet ) weaver’s home in Ratadiya village. Vegetable dyes are used to dye the wool from camels and goats used to weave the carpet. While carpets in this workshop are made to order, the weaver showed us his original pieces, some of which depicted everyday village life.

    Up the down road

    Did you know that in Kalo Dungar area there is a spot where the forces of gravity do not act ?

    Just before Kalo Dungar we came to a magnetic zone where it seemed that the car rolled up the downward slope! Similarly we took turns in spilling some water in the middle of the road and watch it climb upwards instead of rolling down !

    On the way up we saw a tempo load of people going up the steep hill, the old people looking decidedly petrified that they would fall off !

    Atop the hill is a new temple built on the site of the old temple that was destroyed in the earthquake . Similarly, a few metres downhill is another modern structure that guards the eternal flame marking the spot where Dattatreya was said to have prayed .

    Some distance away, there is a spot where the offerings made at the temple were left for the jackals to eat . Till a few years ago jackals did come to eat the Prasad.

    Standing at the highest point makes you feel you are at the edge of the world . With the vast landscape of hills, white sands of the Raan and Pakistan in the distance , you really get a feeling of awe.

    The road to Dholavira was magical. A straight tar road dividing the lake made created amazing landscapes with various hues of blue white and brown. Bits of salt crystals floated on top like the foam on a water body and it was hard to imagine that the lake was only a few inches deep .

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    Travels to the West : Day 3: Dholavira

    Finally around lunch time we arrived at Dholavira which is an island in the middle of the lake. We checked in to our newly made bhungas .

    After a quick lunch went to the UNESCO heritage sight to see the ruins of an ancient civilisation dating back to Harappan times.

    Our Bhunga for the night
    Doesn’t this cow look like the one on the Harappan seal ?
    A huge water reservoir
    A sewage opening
    The Royal jacuzzi and shower
    A stone stool, grinder and mortar

    It was fascinating to see these excavations of a civilisation that once had a vibrant trade with Mesopotamia. Sadly the museum was shut so we had to rely on the local guide’s information .

    Jurassic Park

    I didn’t quite understand what Mr Mitul meant by Dinosaur Park until we visited the Fossil Park. Flat rocks with interesting formations and a piece of petrified wood rendered this a place of undeniable beauty.

    The fossil park with its specimens of petrified wood and fossils dating back to the Jurassic era is definitely worth a visit .

    We watched the sun setting on the Rann for a bit before making our way back to the Bhunga for dinner. Before retiring to bed we sat in the open air listening to folk songs by the local artistes .

    Tomorrow would be our last day and I was looking forward to more treats unfolding before we went back home .

    Ciao

  • Westward Ho! Dhordo here we come

    Westward Ho! Dhordo here we come

    Today it is exactly a month since I found myself on the Rann of Kutch . A nasty cough that lingered for three weeks prevented me from recording my trip.

    Along the way we spotted this grid that collects and distributes all the alternative electricity produced through wind turbines and solar panels .

    Mr Mitul insisted we stop at one of the street stalls in Khavda, famous for its Rabdi like milk sweet – thick, caramelised and granular .

    A large pot in which the milk is boiled down to a thick granular caramelised toffee

    On our way to the Rann of Kutch, we passed through vast stretches of scrubland called the Banni Grassland which is the largest grassland in the subcontinent. The 1819 earthquake of the Rann of Kutch caused the Indus River that once flowed here to change its course, converting this once fertile land to scrubland. Despite its barren appearance it has a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna . It is still used for grazing and you can see sheep and cattle.

    Nirona village is famous for Rogan Art and beaten copper bells. Rogan art which is a traditional form of printing with oil based vegetable dyes has been revived by Abdul Gaffar Khatri who has been awarded the Padmashri for his efforts. And we were fortunate to visit him at his home and see how the intricate patterns were drawn out with a fine stylus .

    An example of this art form finds a place in the Obama household as a gift to the American President by our PM Shri Narendra Modi
    Next up was the visit to the copper bell workshop where we saw a traditional cowbell beaten into shape !
    Copper bells with their fine timbre make decorative knick knacks as well as musical instruments !
    Intently watching the bell being made
    Craftsman in action

    We still had another artisan to visit: the Laquer craftsman with his brightly coloured wooden spatulas, spoons and rolling pins .

    The lathe on which the object is turned while the laquer is pressed on it.
    A colourful array of lacquered kitchen ware

    Our final halt on the handicraft trail was the village of Ramdevpir Nagar a settlement of Megvad Marvadas famed for their embroidery. Even today, the women were dressed in colourful elaborate garments intricately embroidered. The traditional circular mud house or bhunga was beautifully decorated both inside and outside.

    The round shape makes the dwelling earthquake proof. The paints used are vegetable dyes and the roof is made out of the local Banni Grass . The inner walls are decorated with mirror work called lipi. Three brothers who shared a common kitchen live in this compound in their individual bhungas

    Welcome to Dhordo

    Did you think that the Rann of Kutch was a roast leg of lamb kutchi style ?
    Or did you think that the Rann of Kutch was a forest where raan meant forest ?

    While I knew that the Rann was neither a forest nor a leg of lamb, I didn’t know it was a salt desert !

    Yes, the famous Rann is actually a salt marsh. There are many ways to get to the Rann but we chose to access it through Dordo, a village close to the Tent City Village put up by Gujarat Tourism. This tent city and other spin offs come up for the Rann of Kutch festival from January to March every year.

    We stayed in a tent city closest to the BSF post and were amazed that beyond the great whiteness lay the country of Pakistan. Luckily our guide had bought our tickets to enter the Rann and after settling down into our allotted tents we prepared to watch the sunset .

    The winds became chillier as the sun went down and we decided to spend sometime at the handicraft stalls set up as part of the Festival of the Rann. The stalls are a great place to shop for block printed and Ajrakh fabrics, different embroideries of Kutch, leather work and other local handicrafts. It also had great food stalls where we enjoyed some interesting variations on Pizza and sipped on hot tea in Khullars.

    We were dead tired by the time we went to bed, determined to wake up early the next morning before we set off on the next leg of our journey.

    Ciao

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