Everything that you should keep in mind as Rann Utsav resumes for the year 2022.

The last few years have been extremely rough and tough for us and the world and hitting the road or taking up that trip feels like such a distant thought. When was the last time you went on a breathtaking soulful vacation or trip? If it seems like a vague memory, we assure you, you can now make new ones and finally head out to the adventure that calls you.

But not sure where to begin with? We have a place, a plan, and an entire celebration in mind for you. Yes without any further delays let’s get to know what we’re talking about. The Great Rann of Kutch is back with the Rann Utsav for the year 2021-2022 and this might be just the right time for you to visit. What’s more? Let’s find out.

What is the Rann Utsav about?

The Rann Utsav is one of India’s most popular and loved desert festivals. The festival is a huge hit amongst foreign tourists and also attracts a lot of travellers from different parts of the country and the world. The Rann Utsav celebrates life in the barren white desert lands of Kutch that are formed out of salt marshes. 

The Festival begins in November and goes on till February end or the first week of March. This year the festival is dated from 1^st of November 2021 till 20^th  February 2022. This precisely 100-day festival gets an exceptional response on full moon nights as camping under the night sky on full moon day makes the desert look like a cloud with dark skies full of stars above. The Rann Utsav is an attempt to keep the cultural heritage and traditional art and folk forms alive in the new age that is evolving with modern art and new stories. The Rann Utsav is also widely known for the planned tent cities with temporary installation and infrastructure that make your accommodation a part of your desert experience.

If Kutch not seen, nothing is seen!

What Activities can you take up at the Rann Utsav?

While you can notice local artists and performers dancing singing and performing local folk from the region of Kutch, you can also find some of the most remarkable activities that will leave you with a lifetime of memories wanting to come back for more.

You can indulge in and experience the following activities at the Rann Utsav:

• Cultural Dance Performances throughout the day.
• Live music concerts that begin in the evening.
• Special Gujarati and Kutchi Cultural Dance shows like Dandiya Raas, Garba, etc.
• Explore and buy handicrafts at the shopping area and also indulge in local delicacies at the food court.
• Take up adventure activities like parasailing and Dirt Biking.
• Take a tour of the place by taking a camel cart ride.

While these are activities that you can participate in throughout the festival, certain special days call for a specially curated experience at the Great Rann of Kutch.

Special Days of the year to witness a different side to the usual Rann Utsav:

• New Year Celebrations on 31st December.
• Kite flying festival on 14th Jan to celebrate Makar Sankranthi.
• Celebrating the soldiers who guard the borders of Kutch by celebrating 26th January.
• Specially curated set up for love birds on 14th February on the occasion of Valentines Day.
• Every Full Moon night during the festival is a completely surreal experience in itself.

Looking for a list of Handicrafts that you can buy at the Rann Utsav? You can refer to our article on- Handicrafts to buy at Rann Utsav.

While you can relive the magic of this cultural desert festival again this year onwards, it is important to keep in mind what essentials would you need to carry along this year keeping in mind the ongoing pandemic.

Essentials and things to remember:

• Please make sure you are double vaccinated and so are all the members of your family or group to ensure prevention of the spread of the novel coronavirus.
• Please make sure you carry the certificates of both your vaccine doses.
• Also carry sanitisers, masks, and all necessary basic medicines to ensure a good healthy experience while keeping safety in mind.
• Carry a road map to nearby places as the network around the area could be poor.

To put it all together, while travel guidelines are a little relaxed this year onwards, it is still crucial to keep in mind your health and safety and to ensure you are social distancing even as you travel to the festival. Always remember fellow traveller- be a smart traveller and not a hard traveller.

Follow India Chalk on Instagram for more amazing travel content. You can share your travel story with us. Reach out to us on email at contact[at]ndiachalk[dot]com. This blog is curated by India Chalk and written by Megha Sapre.