The Rann of Kachchh is a salt marshy land in the Thar Desert in the Kachchh district of western Gujarat. It lies between Gujarat in India and the Sindh province in Pakistan. It comprises of around 30,000 sq. km of land which includes The Great Rann of Kachchh, The Little Rann of Kachchh and Banni grassland.
The Rann of Kachchh is famous for its white salty desert sand and is reputed to be the largest salt desert in the world.‘Rann’ means desert in Hindi which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Irina’ which also means desert. The inhabitants of Kachchh are called Kachchhi and have a language of their own with the same name. Most of the population in Rann of Kachchh comprises of Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Sikhs.
The Rann of Kachchh region is also home to a range of ecologically rich wildlife such as the flamingos and the wild ass that can be spotted around the desert often. Rann is also a part of a few sanctuaries such as the Indian wild ass sanctuary, Kachchh desert wildlife sanctuary etc. It is a paradise for wildlife photographers and nature enthusiasts alike.
The government of Gujarat holds a three month long festival known as ‘The Rann Utsav’ every year starting from December to February. This is the main source of income for the locals around who welcome visitors from across the globe to savour in local delicacies and to witness the culture and hospitality of Kachchh.
