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A safari through the Indian Wild Ass Sanctuary in the Little Rann of Kutch in north west Gujarat is a migue
experience—not to be had anywhere else in the country.
Well, let me tell you, I
was on a visit to Ahmedabad where, by mere coincidence I happened to
meet Dhanraj, the young son of Durbar Mohammed Shabbir Malik. Having
found many a common interest, he invited me to be his guest at their
tourist resort in Zainabad, situated on the periphery of the Little
Rann of Kutch. There could have been nothing more agreeable than
such a proposition, as it would give me an excellent opportunity to
visit India’s largest wildlife sanctuary.
The Little Rann of Kutch
which covers an area of roughly 5,000 square kilometres is primarily
known as the Indian Wild Ass Sanctaury. The sanctuary is the last
natural habitat of the Indian Wild Ass (Equus Hemionus Khur) with the
Khur—one of the three surviving species of wild ass in the
world, the other two being found in Central Asia and in and around
Tibet—being high on the list of endangered species. Only 1,800
to 2,000 such animals survive today.
Besides wild ass, the
sanctuary is home to a host of other animals and nearly 350 different
species of birds—including the common crane, pelican and the
lesser flamingo. Apart from this, one can also get a rare insight
into the lifestyles of the numerous ethnic groups and local tribes
which live in and around the Rann. The important being the Kolis,
Rabaris, Bajanias, Kutchis, Gujjars and the Bharvads.
It was on a hot October
afternoon that I boarded the bus to Dasada, a village close to
Zainabad—my destination. There are very few buses which go
directly up to Zainabad, so one has to either inform the camp of
one’s arrival in advance—so that they may arrange to pick
you up; or make do with whatever means are available at the Dasada
bus stand. If you are lucky, as I was, you might be able to hitch a
ride on a motorcycle from one of the local traders who use this route
frequently.
At long last I espied a
signboard which read: The Desert Coursers Camp, Zainabad, I had
finally arrived! The sun had just about set as I made my way towards
the camp. Barely a kilometre away from the village and situated near
a lake amidst picturesque surroundings, my first glimpse of the
quaint koobas or huts was indeed a welcome sight. After a
refreshing cup of tea I was led to the Demoiselle Crane! A demoiselle
crane? Yes, it was the name given to my kooba!
Built with improvisations
like an attached dressing room and a bath, it still maintained the
rustic flavour of the traditional styled kooba. Originally the
innovation of the Bajania tribe of northern Gujarat, koobas are
traditionally rounded, much lower in height and made with sticks.
While the hut I was in was made of cement and mud with a thatched
roof, its exterior was decorated beautifully with chaapa
work-patterns made out of different sized leaves: a very typical
method of decoration in this region.
The next morning I was up
early enough to see the sun rise from behind the lake where village
women were already busy filling their earthen runs and brass pots
with water. As I ambled along, I came across a large flock of sheep
and goats tended by a Rabari who invited me to a cup of fresh goat’s
milk. The Rabaris, basically a nomadic tribe who crisscross
northwest India in search of grazing pastures, have adapted
themselves to the Hindu culture. Though originally a caste of camel
breeders, they now keep only a few beasts for transportation and earn
their livelihood by selling goat’s milk and sheep wool.
By the time I returned
from my walk, the camp was buzzing with activity. An entire busload
of school children had come down to the sanctuary on an educational
tour. Very soon, I along with the group of over-excited kids and
Dhanraj were heading for Zinjuwada, 20 kilometres away, in a jeep.
Dhanraj, as the trip was to prove, was not only a wildlife enthusiast
but also knew the Rann like the back of his hand. Zinjuwada, bang on
the edge of the Rann, has an old, 11th century fort built
during the Solanki era and one of the area’s largest salt works.
It is worth mentioning that almost 35 per cent of India’s total
salt is produced in the Rann of Kutch which was once submerged under
sea water. It is for this reason that the land still has a very high
salt content and becomes a large expanse of wet marshland during the
monsoons. The recent rains had rendered the land beyond the salt
works very slushy and we had to restrict our jeep along the
baits—sort of islands which remain above the wetlands.
It was close to noon when
we spotted the first Khur of the day. It was a lonesome bachelor who
sped away the moment he heard the whine of our approaching vehicle.
Very soon, however, we saw a whole herd which included some young
foals playing antics. At closer quarters, the Indian wild ass of the
Rann is a fine animal and quite unlike its domesticated cousin—the
donkey. It moves fast and can attain speeds up to 70 kilometres an
hour. Besides having the stamina to run for distances of up to 30
kilometres at a stretch, the animal also has the ability to turn a
sharp corner while galloping at top speed.
On our way back to
Zainabad, we were fortunate to come across a number of different bird
species: a rare ceraneous vulture, a pair of houbara bustards, common
cranes and even flamingos feeding on shrimps at a little rivulet!
Interestingly, the Little Rann gets a fair number of winged visitors
in the winter months. Among these, the blue-tailed bee-eater which
comes all the way from Europe; the common crane and the demoiselle
crane from Siberia; the ceraneous vulture from Egypt and the houbara
bustard from Iran and Iraq, are mentionable. We also encountered a
deadly, two and a half feet long scaled viper. It is a rather sleek
reptile with beautiful markings and is known as the saw scaled viper
because of the saw like sound it makes when waiting to strike its
prey. Considered one of the most poisonous snakes in India, a victim
of its bite can die within two hours.
The next morning I
decided to call on Dhanraj’s father—the present Durbar of
Zainabad, Mohammed Shabbir Malik—at his residence the Zeenat
Manzil to find out more about the history of Zainabad.
As it turned out,
Zainabad had been founded by his grandfather in the early part of
this century. His ancestors originally came down here from Multan
around the middle of the 13th century to settle down in
Dasada. It was only around 1912 that the then Duarbar decided to
shift his capital to a village called Karala, which was later renamed
Zainabad.
On my way back, I paid a
casual visit to a little dargah (mosque) called the Navshaheed
Dargah. What struck me as rather unusual was the fact that pilgrims
came here to pay their respects to a Muslim lady.
It was my last night at
the Rann. Incidentally, it also turned out to be the full moon night
of Sharad Purnima. So a night drive into the Rann was next on
the agenda—a fitting finale to my Rann Safari. As we set of
towards the Rann after a sumptuous Gujarati dinner, the full moon was
already above the yonder horizon—saturating the entire landscape
with its cool brilliance. It was yet another unforgettable
experience. We spotted a feeding wolf, a few wild access, several
nocturnal birds and even a solitary Rabari with his flock of
sheep—the latter, quite oblivious to the fact that for miles
around him there was nothing but the desolate wilderness of the Rann.
And as I boarded my bus
back to Ahmedabad, I began to realise, for the first time, the vast
potential the Little Rann of Kutch held as a unique and somewhat
offbeat tourist destination. And what better place to base your
safari than at the Desert Coursers Camp in Zainabad. In fact, it is
the only place in the Rann with adequate facilities and properly
organized safaris geared to initiate you into the nuances of this
wild wonderland.
SASAN GIR LION SANCTURY
The Gir Forest at Sasan,
65 kilometres from junagadh, is the last natural habitat of the
Asiatic lion—a species which had become almost extinct at the
beginning of this century. The story goes that Lord Curzon, the then
Viceroy of India, was invited for a shikar (hunt) by the Nawab
of Junagadh. This evoked a reaction in certain quarters and the
appropriateness of hunting down an endangered species was questioned.
Hearing the public outcry, it is said that Lord Curzon cancelled his
visit and instead advised the Nawab to declare the lion a protected
animal.
The Sasan Gir Wildlife
Sanctuary, as it is called, spread over 1,400 square kilometres of
area is primarily meant for the protection of the Asiatic lion. The
terrain is mainly undulating with several rivers flowing through the
region. The forests vary from open scrub, dry deciduous and thorn
forests to ones with evergreens.
Apart from lions which
are normally to be found in packs of eight or 10, the Park also
supports a variety of other fauna. These include bears, hyenas,
foxes, many species of deer and antelope like the nilgai, chinkara
gazelle, chowsingha and barking deer; panthers and monkeys. The
marsh crocodile also finds ideal habitation in the Park’s many
rivers and a crocodile breeding farm has been set up at Sasan.
Though open throughout
the year, except during the monsoon months, the ideal time to visit
the sanctuary is during winter. Safaris conducted in open vehicles
allow the visitor to see lions at close quarters. The Lion Safari
Lodge here offers suitable accommodation.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Velavadar National
Park and wildlife Sanctuary, 65 kilometres from Bhavnagar, has
the highest concentration of black buck. The best time to visit it
is between October and June.
Marine National Park
and Sanctuary, 7 kilometres from Jamnagar, is located at Pirotan
Island. It is a fascinating place to see coral, puffer fish, crabs,
and the green sea, leather backed and olive ridley turtles. The best
time to visit the Park is between November and February.
Khijadiya Wildlife
Sanctuary, another wildlife attraction near Jamnagar, is situated
16 kilometres from the city. It is mainly known for its bird life,
especially the spoonbills and waterfowls. It is best visited between
the winter months of October to February.
The Dhumkhal Sloth
Bear Sanctuary located in Bharuch district also has other
attractions like the tiger and leopard. The best time to visit is
between October and February.
The Bansda National
Park, situated in Bulsar district is home to the leopard, tiger,
panther and wild boar. It is best visited between the months of
October ad March.
The Nalsarovar Bird
Sanctuary, 61 kilometres from Ahmedabad, nestles around a lake
with almost 360 islands. Almost 300 species of migratory birds have
been sighted here. The best time to visit is between November and
March.
Jessore Sloth Bear
Sanctuary, 28 kilometres from Palanpur in north Gujarat, is
another important habitat for the sloth bear. Nilgai and leopard are
the other major attractions. The best time to visit the Park is
between November and February.
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