Bhuj
About the city
Bhuj, the major town of Kutch, is an old walled city- in the past the city gates were locked each night from dusk to dawn. You can lose yourself for hours in the intricate maze-like streets and alleyways of this fascinating town. There are walls within walls, attractive crenellated gateways, old palaces with intricately carved wooden pavilions, and striking, brightly decorated Hindu temples. Bhuj resembles much of India before the tourist invasion, and you're much more likely to come across that disarming hospitality which was once the hallmark of rural India. Unfortunately if there has been no monsoon, the picturesque lake remains dry.The tourist of ice (Tel: 20004), housed in the. Aina Mahal, is staffed by the very helpful Mr. PJ Jethi, who is a mine of information on anything to do with Bhuj and Kutch. It's possible to arrange a guide (Rs 300 per day) through the tourist office. Ask Mr. Jethi for details. The office is open daily from 9:00 am to 11:45 am, and 3:00 am to 5:45 pm except Saturday. It sells a small booklet about Kutch for Rs 5, or there's a more informative one for Rs 25. Excellent postcards are also sold here for around Rs 5 each. Changing money in Bhuj is a big problem. The State Bank of India on Station Rd offers money-changing facilities; however, it seems to favour Thomas Cook travellers cheques (weekdays, from noon to 3:00 pm). The Hotel Prince will change money for their guests.
If you feel like taking refreshing dip, there's a swimming pool at the Lakeview Restaurant, at the south end of the lake. It's open to the public from 7:00 to 10:00 am, and 2:45 to 5:45 pm (Rs 10 for 45 minutes). The GPO is about a five minute auto-rickshaw ride from the bus stand. There is also a branch in Darbar Gadh, in the walled city.
This remote corner of India - Bhuj in the far west-is a place on it's own. Culturaly cut off from the rest of India, physically as well when the monsoon floods the Great Rann of Kutch, Kutch has produced a population of hardy, independent-minded seafarers. These sailors brought back borth ideas and goods which were seized upon by the rulers; strong men who provided an enlightened rule within a feudal framework. The Ranns of Kutch are barren salt flats, home only to the Indian wild ass and breeding ground forflamingoes, pelicans, and avocets. Small communities earn a precarious living on the fringes either stock-raising or from handicrafts. This is the true home of the mirror Bhuj, a colourful little town surrounded by scrub desert. The tragedy of Bhuj is that the 2001 earthquake reduced the colorful town to rubble. The tow's main attraction was the Darbargarh Palace Complex which houses the fabulous ‘Aina mahal'. This ‘Palace of Mirrors' was built in 1752 and its walls are dotted with semi-precious stones The floor tiles were made in Bhuj by Ram Singh, a Kathiawari who, as the result of a shipwreck, spent 16 years in Holland and picked up all sorts of skills. The same man produced part of the large collection of china, porcelain, and clocks. Unfortunately, the Palace is now closed, after the 2001 earthquake damaged part of it. The royal cenotaphs, the Swaminarayan Temple and the Bazar are now in ruins but the Folk Arts Museum still stands. It has a choice collection of Kutch textiles, embroidery and village of Rabari tribe.