DESI DISCOVERY QUIZ 23

Lakhpat in Kutch is the correct answer. Congrats those who attempted

In general, Indians outside Gujarat, would find no reason to visit this place. But when you live here for a while, you simply love the place. The easiest way to get inside the life at Kutch with all their colourful attire, the glasses decors in their houses is to visit personally or watch the movie Refugee – that so beautifully brings alive life in Border area.

Lakhpat was once a prosperous, thriving  trading port with a fort, which is now in ruins – because a powerful earthquake – 100 years ago, shifted the river Indus; With no water, fewer inhabitants it is  often wrongly referred as one of india’s Ghost cities.

Today, a good 160 KM away from Bhuj, this is the last point of western Indian coast, beyond which lies Pakistan. Lakhpat, Narayan Sarovar & Koteshwar temple are generally deserted but for the few villagers, BSF personnel  & the occasional tourists. This place is to Gujarat Schools as to what Puliyancholai was to RSK – a first choice picnic spot.

Steeped in history, drenched in silence, frozen in a time wrap, nothing to do, clear unpolluted wind, skies, a simple life, colourful costumes, cheerful locals  are what to experience. Even to date there are small village conclaves that do not let outsiders inside –even for a visit.  All meals anywhere here are served with buttermilk instead of water & the Guud – Jaggery to finish off ;  do not expect any hotels or restaurants here.

The life in a BSF check post guarding this coastal border is a luxury or drudgery - depending upon which side of the coin you see.  On the fringes you have the security personnel on foot or camel backs.  A good 100 metres beyond them are the first camps with low roofed mud huts that match the terrain & some tents. As a visitor (through contacts) on a lazy morning, sitting under the breezy  tents, I savour the moment sipping their aluminium kettle brewed chai. The campis basic & rudimentary, yet there is a surgical cleanliness about the place. As a career option, I felt that these people were gifted as nothing much moved & there was  nothing much to do in these parts, but to watch, watch, watch. I felt they had lot of free time to do what they wanted; But for them, the transistor was the sole entertainment . Cable, internet, food of choice, news papers were simply not possible. What can they do? It is on the mobile sans the internet ( border area) is how they celebrate Diwali with their families far away.

A stressful job  to them- watching the lifeless coastline, wasting the prime of their youth life, away from their wives & toddlers  from as far as Aralvai Mozhi in TN ( What a beautiful name ) – just to ensure that we have the privilege of enjoying anything our minds wants to, watch Big Boss with family( becoming the “In “ thing in tamilian households) or shoot out anything off the mouth or in social media-  in democratic India.

Around 3 to 4 KM beyond the first camps of the BSF  you have the main control centres  - bigger camps under tree covers, tents  & shrouded  in secrecy.

My meal  at the first camp gets delayed, as the sentry  who went to fetch the vegetable at Verma Nagar (18KM), was slowly treading up the barren desert sand on foot. I was happy to wait & while away some more time in the luxury of warmth & nothingness.

Take a 1 day detour from Bhuj/Rann of Kutch to visit the places above along with Mathana mutt