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A Rendezvous with Kachchh Mahotsav
Like so many other regions of Gujarat,
Kachchh Mahotsav (also spelt as Kutch)
has its own distinctive character. It is, in fact, a
peninsula, lying between the Sir River, the Sir creek
and great Rann of Kachchh Mahotsav
on the northwest, and the Gulf of Kachchh Mahotsav
on the east.
The country is a somewhat
bare wand wild, with some cultivated field near the
villages. It has a remarkably heterogeneous population,
who belong to 18 different tribes, each with its own
language and culture. Yet Kachchh Mahotsav,
with its colourful people, historic towns, and remarkable
handicrafts, has much of interest to offer visitors.
JOURNEY INTO HISTORY
The Kachchh Mahotsav
is a guided tour of the life and times of Kachchh
Mahotsav- its beauty, its nostalgia, its ethos,
its traditions, its history, its culture, its very inner
self.
The Tourism Corporation
of Gujarat, Ltd. (TCGL), organised this unusual tour
of Kachchh Mahotsav, in response to
the request of many who wished to visit an area quite
different from urban India. This tour was called a Mahotsava,
or great festival, because of the great variety of sights
and scenes that are offered to visitors. The Mahotsava
consists of a six-day tour of Kachchh Mahotsav,
in which all requirements of the visitors are taken
care of.
SIX DAYS OF COMPLETE
EXPERIENCE
The Kachchh Mahotsav
Utsav comprises six heady days of travel, entertainment
and cultural exposure: virgin sea beaches, inscrutable
desertlands, breathtaking landscape, thriving wildlife,
bird sanctuaries featuring exalted species such as the
flamingo, soul-stirring littoral tracts, historic monuments,
forts and palaces, pilgrim centers.
BHUJ ATTRACTIONS
Bhuj lies at the heart of Kachchh
Mahotsav and is linked by many roads to the
rest of the peninsula. Also in Bhuj are the Aina Mahal
or Glass Palace, which was built in the 18th century,
the Kachchh Mahotsav Museum - which
is Gujarat's oldest, and the Bharatiya Sanskruti Darshan
complex, which holds some remarkable frescoes depicting
the RAM-LILA. The rural bazaars of Bhuj sell its exquisite
handicrafts.
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Mata No Madh |
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Mata no Madh
is an old temple believed to be 1,200 years old.
It is dedicated to the Mother Goddess. The temple
has many unusual features and its treatment of
dimensions and of space is unique. |
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Lakhpat |
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Lakhpat, once
a flourishing post, and now deserted, reminds
one that in ancient times, ships sailed to West
Asia from Gujarat's West Coast, Time stands still
at Lakhpat, recalling to mind a era long past,
through the many sites in the city, including
the Sikh Gurdwara, and the 200-year tomb or Dargah
of Ghaus Mohammed Kaba.
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Narayan Sarovar |
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Narayan Sarovar
means the Lake of Narayan, a name of Vishnu. There
are actually five sacred lakes here. A temple
complex is located on one of these. Narayan Sarovar
is one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for
orthodox Hindus. The architecture is ancient and
awe-inspiring. Koteshwar, another place on the
Mahotsava route, is also a site which pilgrims
invariably visit. |
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Bhadreshwar Temple |
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Bhadreshwar
is not only considered an important religious
site by the Jain community, but it also has shrines,
mosques and temples, as well as unique an ancient
step-well. |
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Anjar |
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Anjar, near
Gandhidam, is famous for the Samadhi of Jesal
Toral, the Ajaypal Temple, and the shrine of Pinjora
Pir. The bungalow of James Macmurdo contains remarkable
examples of the art of Kachchh Mahotsav. |
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Mandvi |
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Mandvi in southern
Kachchh Mahotsav, is a renowned
holiday centre with a beach overlooking the Arabian
Sea. The Vijay Vilas Palace evokes the royal splendour
of the past. Mandvi's Hawa Mahal is also imposing,
and reminiscent of similar palaces in Rajasthan.
Banni and Khavda are villages set like jewels
in an expanse of desert. In these villages live
some of the most talented craftsmen of Kachchh
Mahotsav who practise their traditional
skills, to produce artistic masterpieces.
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Dhola Veera |
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Dhola Veera
was once an important part of the Harappan Civilisation,
proving that the Harappan culture extened to Gujarat.
Excavations are still in progress. |
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Dhrang |
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Dhrang is another
location famous for its rural fair ad for the
handicrafts, traditional objects, hand-printed
and embroidered fabrics made and sold there. It
is also famous for the jewelley available there.
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EXCURSIONS |
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The Kachchh
Mahotsav is usually organised during
February and March each year. Other places of
interest nearby are Rajkot, in Saurashtra (16-km
from Bhuj), Jamnagar (189-km from Bhuj) Junagadh
(260-km from Bhuj).
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GETTING THERE |
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Bhuj has an airport with flights
to different destinations. |
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