Rann Utsav

Rann utsav – A unique cultural extravaganza is a perfect holiday destination for travelers all around the world. Gujarat never fails to amaze and its amazement lies in a celebration of life , a love affair with Rann of Kutch with the largest tent city situated in the Dhordo , in the heart of the Kutch District. Organised by the Gujarat Tourism it reflects and captures  the uniqueness of this region. It’s a perfect place for eternity with vast sands and picturistique landscapes welcoming you with open arms and giving you a visual treat. Just to be a part of this soujourn is a lifetime experience and leaves you with loads of memorable memories.

Entrance at Rann Utsav

Last year, over 12,000 tourists from across the world flocked to the fair and returned home with a bagful of lifetime memories. This celebration is rightly called the “Rann Utsav”. Rann is no ordinary land , it’s infinite vast and endless. It is the most amazing tourist destination to travel to, with friends or family either on short weekends or on long sojourns for passion, adventure and celebration. The Spectacular site of a glistening White Rann under the full moon along with various glimpses of Kutchi Culture, Handicrafts and outdoor activities make this desert carnival a perfect holiday destination.

Clock tower

A riot of colour sprinkled on the white salt desert, a quirky profusion of design, as far as the eye can see, a fascinating blend of culture; peeping from the folds of a semi-arid landscape. The deafening quietness of night pierced only by the haunting notes of a Surando, mesmeric twirling of silver-bangled women, outfitted in layers of hand-embroidered appliqué lehengas (long skirts) or turbaned, moustachioed men in loin clothes and short skirts, heads bent and swaying as they play their goatskin drums with religious fervour, leisure rooms, recreation centers, library, spas , dining halls, arcades, swings for kids, battery operated cars and what not! When all these elements come together, the outcome is RANN UTSAV. A mosaic of exquisiteness, set against the luminous beauty of Kutch. On full moon night during Rann Utsav, the region wakes to an endless cycle of dance, music, art and craft in a celebration. This is the best time to visit Kutch, when the region brims with hospitality, vigour, magic and mythical flavour of Rann.

Panoramic view of tents

Staying options at Rann Utsav

Premium Tent, is the most luxurious tent out of total the four types of accommodation available. This tent is of approx. 44 sq. mt in area. It comprises of porch, double bed with a cosy sitting area inside the tent. It has wooden flooring in Tent area and Pucca Tile Flooring in Bathroom area. Besides the basic amenities, these tents are equipped with Air Conditioners & Heaters.

Tents lined up in a block

Deluxe A.C. Swiss Cottage Tent is a luxurious and semi – premium categorised tent out of the total types of accommodation available. This tent is of approx. 36 sq. mt in area. It comprises of porch, 2 Single Beds with a centre table, 2 chairs inside the tent. It has wooden flooring in Tent area and Pucca Tile Flooring in Bathroom area. Besides the basic amenities, these tents are equipped with Air Conditioners & Heaters.

NON A.C. Swiss Cottage Tent is a luxurious economy tent. This tent is of approx. 36 sq. mt in area. It comprises of porch, 2 Single Beds with a centre table, 2 chairs inside the tent. The flooring of this tent is “mati lipan” with carpet overlaid. These tents are not equipped with Air Conditioners & Heaters.

Rann on the other side

Introduce yourself to a living space which echoes Royalness. Your sojourn at the RannUtsav is made all the more memorable when a combination of traditional elements and modern elegance grace every corner of your tent. You are welcomed by a sight of a royal sofa set and two well-appointed rooms.

Having a total area of 1600 sq. ft. this suite sets a benchmark of unparalleled LUXURY. Depending on your mood you can either relax outside and bask under the shade or the afternoon sun or entertain yourself to the live folk music on the spectacular White Rann.

Source- Rann Utsav Website

On road sign boards leading to Rann Utsav

Our experience of Rann Utsav

On the way to Rann Utsav

How we reached- Although there is a direct flight to Bhuj from Delhi from where it takes only 1.5 hrs to reach Dhordo tent city, we started by car from Ahmedabad. We started off quite early in the morning, since we wanted to reach Rann by 11 a.m. The roads were absolutely a pleasure to drive. Development done by Gujrat Government was quite evident. As we blazed past the 300 kms trip , we took only a tea break in between. The journey itself was a pleasant experience with vast open areas of salt factories and windmills all along.

Deluxe Tent room

Welcome As we reached the main reception area, we were greeted by dance troupes. A customary tilak was performed and we entered main A/C reception tent area. We were allotted our deluxe A/C tent and we went there by battery operated vehicle. Kids were superexcited by now and as we entered our tent , we did not waste much time and moved on to Dining hall for our delectable lunch. Food was hygienic and of high quality and well served.

Dining Hall

After a luxurius treat , kids went to the playing area and my husband went to main tent to watch world cup match on a big projecter screen. It was again a memorable moment since hall erupted with cheers and music played by drums and dhols as India won the match. We then had a high tea and boarded the bus for our lifetime experience of evening at White Rann, to which I’ve dedicated a complete article.

Cultural programs at night

After coming back we rested for a while and went for dinner. It slowly became cold and now the weather was extremely pleasant. We now moved around the city and enjoyed. There was huge stage and various singers and dance artists performed and made our evening memorable.We went for stargazing through telescope and I went for heena tattoo. After spending quality time , we moved on to our Block and kids were super excited in the open area. We sat outside our tent and enjoyed the mystic silence in moonlight gazing at stars. The voices of soothing soulful music from the open arena was still falling into our ears and we were singing along.

Dining Hall

Next morning , as we were offered bed tea by 6 AM, my husband went and shot some pictures. He actually sat outside for the sunrise and enjoyed alone. As kids got up , we went to dining area for our breakfast. I was very satisfied by personal attention given by the staff over there and as we finished our breakfast it was time for us to have a glimpse of vast Rann from a machan.

Stall of handicrafts

Both my kids also climbed up with me and we sat there for a while. It was one of the most precious and cherished moments of my life. That Machan provided a panoramic view of full Dhordo city which was majestic at the sight. It was an organized massive structure which was evenly spread in Kutch. At the instant, it clearly showed the amount of effort, money and time spent in organizing such an event at a huge scale.

Wall hangings and puppets stall

Things that amazed me was that inspite of being in Rann which is a desert, there was no dust. Green carpets were spread to substitute for greenery in each block along with the sitting area to laze around.

Service

Facilities board

Service was spontaneous. All Managers of every block were on their toes all the time to ensure each need of every guest is addressed. Timely service and prompt response was very impressive. We got the car every time we required. It was a quick communication.

Now it was time to bid adiu to our sojourn. We packed our bags and moved on to our next destination , Mandvi.

This is indeed a once in a lifetime experience and I would actually request all travelers to experience this definitive moment of eternal beauty at least once in their lifetime.

Rann Utsav begins on 31st Dec and ends on 31st March.

Nidhi K.M.

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