Since we arrived early in the morning, it was decided to take an hours break before to start site seeing... after colder night journey, everyone knew how strictly these time lines will be kept... The accommodation we got inside the temple was way beyond our expectations in bhadreshwar. It was decent accommodation for 3 people to stay and it costs just Rs 120 per day :-)
it was 9.30 AM when we finally left our accommodation.
We met people at SETU Information center, the NGO Partha is associated with. There we Bharat bhai. He is like an elder brother for the folks out there. He helped us in finalizing our 2 days plan, routes, places to see. He also invited us for dinner at SETU with them. For me thanks would be small word to say to the friends we met in SETU, particularly Bharath Bhai, Ali, Vinod, Partha. I decided in my mind to buy some goodies in Bangalore and give it to them through partha during his Pongal visit to Bangalore.
OK. Our first day plan is to see Rann of Kutch, India Bridge and other places on the way. We took break in the highway of Bhuj for breakfast. Then an another break in Bhuj for Badri's lunch. Finally it was just past noon we left Bhuj to Kavda. Khavda is a village in Kutch and is located very near to the India Pak border. From Kavda onwards you can see Rann. For some of you who dont know what is Rann, it is basically the sediments of sea from the past. Now there is no water. they all have been converted to salt kind of desert. It is pleasure to see real white salty sand. if you are a photo freak, you will enjoy this place.
In Kavda, we went to the first site seeing spot in the top of the hill. What i noticed in Kavda, is what i saw every where in Gujarat. The more interior you go, the more number of temples (Jain, Vishnu, Shiva temples). In the view point i am talking here, we saw a shiva temple. It was just before our visit, Rann festival got over. Rann festival occurs every year to introduce tourists about various places in kutch region, to introduce business men about different business prospects and to introduce art/folk/food of kutch region to various people. We also saw the artificial helipad created for CM Modi on the way to the view point.
Our next stop was India Bridge. On the way we passed the junction which leads to the last village in western India "Kuran". Crossing more deeper Rann on both sides we reached the border. It was a physical line a bridge between India and Pakistan. India bridge as it is called, is constructed between the salt sea sediments. Photography was not allowed in that area, Otherwise we would have shown everyone one of the the best viewable places in Gujarat and in India.
With a quick chat with the jawan on guard, he was telling us, that there is similar bridge on the Pak side called Pakistan Bridge. He said few trusted locals are allowed in that area who come to deliver food/milk and other items. Other than that, tourist who know locals there or people from military visit that area. He was also mentioning without local support, it wouldnt be possible to reach that area.....
We took some snaps on the other side, pit stopped at the kavda junction for a quick tea session and headed back home. On the way we bought mewa sweets. We reached Bhuj, i bought dresses for my sister and niece. Then we left to bhadreshwar for dinner with our SETU friends. Vinod in photo, prepared for us delicious phulkas and spicy subzi... power went off for a while, it was candle light dinner with rain.....
When dinner was over, it was almost midnight... i decided to stay with Partha for that night, Badri and Balaji headed to the place of our stay only to find out, even the street dogs went to sleep... it was colder, rainy day that night... after few energetic shouting, they decided to go back to SETU and stay there... i stayed with partha that night, we spoke until 2PM.... didnt realize time already reached next day and i should take rest before to start another joyful trip... this time it was for the place Koteswar...
To Continue...
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