Anubhav for Class IX

GREATER RANN OF KACHCHH - The Outdoor Lab

The second largest district of India, Kachchh is dominated by a saline desert, which is also called Rann. Though identified as a desert, Rann of Kachchh is not similar to Thar but a unique eco system itself. These sparse rocky terrains carry the burden of history. The buried city Dholavira of Harappan civilization era was excavated from here. This site attracts hordes of archeologists from all over the world. Equally enticing is the indescribable city of flamingos located in the mud flats of the rann, which is the only area in the whole world where flamingoes breed regularly.

Kachchh has some other attractions as well. Embedded below the Jurassic and cretaceous rocks on Khadir, Kuvar and Pachchham bet, are plenty of fossils of vertebrates, invertebrates and plants. There are records of recovery of fossils of dinosaurs and crocodiles of dinosaurian period and whales of tertiary period. Fossilized forests have also been found in the rocks belonging to Jurassic and cretaceous eras. The fossils of invertebrates include those of ammonites, sea urchins and such other sea creatures.

Kachchh is also culturally very rich and different from the rest of the state. The embroidery work by the women of Kachchh is now internationally marketed, thanks to the efforts of various non-governmental organizations working in these areas. The devastating earthquake of 2001 also adds curiosity and interest among students to learn and experience Kachchh.

Learning Possibilities:

Greater Rann of Kachchh is not a desert if one takes the dictionary meaning and even if you visit this place you will never come across the typical sand dunes and mirages but definitely the vastness and emptiness of Kachchh will attract you. With cracked mud lands and thorny shrubs around, the major part of Kachchh resembles an inhospitable terrain. But this unique ecosystem is very rich in biodiversity and demands a thorough study.

At a glance, Kachchh is deprived of natural resources. Kilometers of unproductive land, intolerable climatic condition, shortage of potable water, all these actually make an outsider vary about the possibilities of survival. However, at close look, Kachchh displays the spirit of humanity and show cases the practical side of Natural Resource Management. The village water storage facilities including the rain water harvesting, sustainable method of agriculture, architecture that is in harmony with the environment,.. there are several examples.

The colourful embroidery work of the interior villages and the dashing colours that the women wear surprise you. The interpretation can be that this is the way they bring colours to their life in a place where brown is the only colour around. Most of the people in the rural areas spend major portion of their time earning a livelihood, fetching water, looking after children, raring cattle etc. For an outsider it may look like there is no space for any entertainment in their life. But music and dance is very much part of the daily life anywhere in India. People of Kachchh also have their own deep-rooted culture; music and dance being an integral part of it.

A look in to the work that happened after the devastating earthquake of 2001 will explain the role of non-government organizations. When the crisis management is beyond the control of the state and the participation of the people becomes decisive in the management, the role of NGOs becomes visible. Kachchh has given a chance to many of the local and international NGOs to prove their capacities. The students would be spending lot of time with select NGO workers and would learn the ways of governance, activism, social responsibility and commitment.

Image Gallery Class IX