Rann of
Kutch

Kutch literally means something which intermittently becomes wet and dry. A large part of this district is known as the Rann of Kutch, which is a shallow wetland which submerges in water during the rainy season and becomes dry during other seasons. The world Kutch is also used for a tortoise in Sanskrit.

Legendary heroism and romance lend enchantment to Kutch, a land of great antiquity forming the northwestern part or Gujarat. The early Stone Age man lived in this area which finds mention in the Mahabharata and the Puranas. The adventurous people of this land, who once built ships and corssed the oceans, have a rich heritage of handicrafts.

The district is also famous for the ecologically important Banni grasslands with their seasonal marshy wetlands which form the outer belt of the Rann of Kutch. Along the northern edge of the Rann of Kutch lies the border with Pakistan.

The coast and the marshlands attract many migratory and domestic birds including giant flocks of flamingoes.