India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) - Keith Bain [504]
BHUJ & ENVIRONS
The dusty, baking-hot capital of Kutch is slowly being reconstructed after the devastating 2001 earthquake that killed over 10% of the city’s 150,000 people. To be honest, it’s a pit, and really only good to get your permit to visit the villages, or to purchase crafts and textiles (if you have not already done so from the creators themselves up in the Rann for half the price). With no sites or attractive accommodations you’d be far better placed closer to the ethnic villages—the real reason you are in Kutch. If you really have to sleep here, there is only one option worth considering: the new Hotel Ilark ( 02832/258999;www.hotelilark.com; super deluxe rooms Rs 3,500) on Station Road, recently built by a wealthy businessman in the construction industry and by far the best place in town.
The easiest way to get to Bhuj is to fly. Jet Airways have daily flights to and from Mumbai. You can book at their offices near Bank of Baroda on Station Road 02832/253671) or at the airport ( 02832/244101). You can also take a train directly to or from Ahmedabad: catch the 9116 Nagari Express, which departs 10:30pm and arrives 5:15am, or the 9032 Kutch Express (departs 8pm arrives 2:45am), before continuing on to Mumbai (11:45am). (No one is advised to take buses here; as stated you will need your own driver and vehicle.)
A raised, newly resurfaced tar road leads north of Bhuj to the Banni Villages and the craft hubs of Hodka, Dhordo, and Khavda, where decorated mud thatch-roofed huts (liponkan) form the stop-off for your meeting with traditional Rabari and Ahir cultures, and an opportunity to inspect their handiwork and wares. These tiny clay villages are all gathered close together (about 40 min. or so apart) and depending on where you are based, either at Shaam-e- Sarhand or Infinity Resort, it will take you not less than 2 hours to reach the closest village. Our advice is therefore to set out very early and reach the farthest village of Khavda first, then work back down to your base. Tip: Ask your hosts to provide a packed lunch or at least some snacks and take plenty of chilled water, preferably in an ice chest.
Ludia is another good stop to meet the locals and inspect the work, and is your second visit after Khavda if working back down. Take your time doing this and be patient. The traditional dress is arresting and their cholis (backless blouses) will have you literally asking for the shirts off their backs. The mood is relaxed and there is very little pressure to buy, so take your time and do not be shy to have a good look at all the work. It may seem like a lot of effort to unpack but try to see it as an education and there is no reason not to have a healthy interaction without buying. We did however encounter a certain surliness when we didn’t buy from a woman in Hodka, who apparently is famous in Paris with the French media. Beautiful embroidery can be found at Bhirendiara, just a 20-minute drive south of Ludia, and stop at the famous NGO Kala Raksha (see box below; 02808/277238;www.kala-raksha.org) that provides a fixed-price outlet, small museum, and workshop.
Covering 4,851 sq. km (1,873 sq. miles), the Little Rann, to the east of The Greater Rann is a vast, salt-encrusted desert plain that becomes a marsh during the monsoon rains. It is home to nine nomadic communities—the Mir, Kharapat Rabhari’s, Bharawads, Bajania, Kholi, Patels, Padhars, Jats, and Wadi’s (the latter incidentally known as snake charmers)—as well as the endangered wild ass, a petite tan and chestnut relative of the horse that consistently bucks the locals’ repeated attempts at cross breeding (and refuses to pose for pictures!).
WHERE TO STAY & DINE
Less than 32km (20 miles) north of Bhuj, Hodka is an obligatory stop and the Shaam-e-Sarhand Rural Resort ( 02832/654124;www.hodka.in), a successful sustainable eco-tourism project run by the local Halepotra tribe, is located here. It