Tag Archives: kutch

In the footsteps of the founder of the religion of the Sikhs

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THE SIKH RELIGION was founded by Guru Nanak (1469-1539). During his lifetime,  he made pilgrimages to Mecca. On two of these, he travelled through the port of Lakhpat in Kutch (Kachchh,  Gujarat). In his lifetime, Lakhpat was a thriving port, but now it is a ghost town.

 

Lakhpat contains a fully functioning gurdwara (Sikh place of worship), the Lakhpat Gurdwara Sahib. It was established by the descendants of the Sikhs who hosted Guru Nanak during his two stays in Lakhpat.  The sanctuary  of the gurdwara contains  relics that were used by Guru Nanak while he spent time in Lakhpat.

 

The sanctuary is housed in a large compound in which one must walk barefoot and with one’s head covered. The place is very clean.

 

As with all gurdwaras, pilgrims and other visitors are offered (free of charge) vegetarian food and drinks (eg tea) in the ‘langar’ (=kiitchen) hall. We drank tea from metal cups and saw others, seated on the floor, eating food from metal thalis. After finishing ones food and drinks, visitors must was the metal vessels with soap and water so that they are ready for use by others.

 

Although the sanctuary building is nineteenth century or older, the rest of the gurdwara is newer. We entered a huge new meeting hall to which builders were completing finishing touches. We were told that it was being got ready because there was about to be a great gathering of Sikh pilgrims at a festival.

 

Lakhpat and its gurdwar are close to India’s border with Sindh in Pakistan.  The whole area around the erstwhile port is full of military personnel and camps. Many Indian regiments contain Sikh members. Some of these regiments have donated things to the gurdwara at Lakhpat.  As one walks around, one can see plaques put up by, and to commemorate these regiments.

 

I enjoyed visiting the gurdwara, and we were happy to make a donation.  Whatever the size of the donation, the donor receives a receipt that  states the reason for making the gift. We wrote that our money was in gratitude for the refreshment offered to us in the langar hall.

 

By visiting the gurdwara at Lakhpat,  we can truly say that we were following in the footsteps of Guru Nanak, even though our journey was most probably more comfortable than his.

A leather belt left outside a Hindu temple in Kutch (Gujarat)

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IN 2018 WE visited Somnath (in Gujarat), where there is a highly revered Hindu temple. Many pilgrims enter the temple. However, before they do so, they must leave anything made of leather in their cars or accommodation. Hindus hold the cow as being sacred. So, nothing made of leather can enter this important temple.

Belt removed before entering the temple

This December (2025), we visited the Puneshwar Shiva Temple near Bhuj in Kutch, Gujarat. As with most holy places in India, one must remove one’s footwear before entering the sanctuary. When we reached the podium on which the ancient (10th or 11th century) temple stands, I spotted a leather belt that someone had respectfully removed before entering the inner chambers of the temple. This reminded me of our visit to Somnath.

Only Ganesh is allowed to completely circumnavigate this Shiva temple

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THE PUNVARESHVAR TEMPLE is one of the oldest surviving Hindu temples in Kutch. It stands beside state highway 42 between Bhuj and Nakhatrana.

 

The temple is built in a style that incorporates elements of both Dravidian and Nagara styles.  It was built sometime around the tenth or eleventh century. During the earthquake of 2001, part of its roof collapsed, leaving part of the temple without a roof. The temple is dedicated to Shiva.

 

The dripping cow head

Built on a stone podium, there is a walkway surrounding the temple. We began walking around it, and stopped to look at a carved cow’s head from which water was dripping. While I was taking a picture of this dripping sculpture, a man approached it, knelt down, let some water drip onto his fingers, and then touched his eyes with the water. He explained that we should not walk all the way around the temple, because only Ganesh, son of Shiva, is permitted to walk the whole way around. Ordinary mortals are supposed to walk up to the dripping cow, put the water in their eyes, and retrace their steps. Then, one can walk around the rest of the temple until one reaches the dripping cow. After applying water to the eyes, one retraces one’s steps.

 

While we were looking at the old temple, a group of ladies dressed in traditional folk costumes  arrived at the temple. Each of them had what looked like a colourful pillow balanced on their heads. These were, in fact,  bundles of clothes.

 

We learned that the ladies had walked through the night from Ratnal, which is 40 miles east of the Puneshwar Shiva Temple. According to Google maps,  this walking journey takes between 13 and a half and 14 hours. We were at the temple at 10 am. The ladies would have set out on their walk early the evening before. Very kindly, they allowed me to take pictures of them.

 

The Punvareshvar Shiva Temple is on the way from Bhuj to the enormous temple complex called Mata no Madh. We visited this popular temple a few years ago. It was overcrowded and highly commercialised. Near the sanctum containing the highly revered deity, I spotted an ATM machine for pilgrims who had not brought enough cash to offer to the deity and the priests who perform the pujas – at very high speed.  The simple, ancient Puneshwar Temple is a peaceful place, where  unlike at Mata no Madh, there is a spiritual atmosphere bathing the environment.

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

From Bhuj in Kutch to Wembley in London and back

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THE BHARATIYA SANSKRUTI DARSHAN Museum in Bhuj houses a fascinating collection of artefacts which were collected from all over Kutch by Ramsinhji Kanji Rathod (1907-1997). Amongst these is an amazing collection of various kinds of textiles collected from all over the former Kingdom of Kutch (now part of Gujarat). Rathod also collected clay articles from the Harrapan site of Dholavira long before archaeologists began to take an interest in the area. I could continue by listing many other fascinating exhibits in the museum, but I will concentrate on three of them.

The three exhibits are all paintings by two Kutchi artists from Bhuj: Vadha and Lalmahad Juma. They were painted by 1884 at the latest. One of their creations hangs in Kedlestone Hall in Derbyshire, home of the Curzon family.

Sidi dancers

One of these three paintings in the museum depicts a folk dance being performed by Kutchi Sidis (people of Black African heritage living in India). The other two paintings depict Kutchi weddings.

What fascinated me was that these three paintings were exhibited outside Kutch: in Pune in 1888, and in London’s Wembley in 1925. They travelled over 5000 miles to Wembley to be exhibited in the British Empire Exhibition, which was held in the Empire Stadium between 9 May and 31 October 1925. The stadium later became England’s national football stadium. It was demolished by 2003, and replaced by a new one.

Interesting as this is, there are plenty of other exhibits to stimulate the admiration visitors to this wonderful museum ably curated by our friend Neeta Joshi. Undeservedly, this museum, which rivals many others I have seen in India, is not as well-known as other sights in Bhuj.

Don’t confuse bhunga in Kutch (Gujarat) with  bunga bunga in Italy

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A RONDAVEL IS a traditional African hut found in South Africa.  It is cylindrical and has a conical thatched roof. I first became aware of these in about 1957 when my aunt and uncle took me for a short holiday at Winterton-on-Sea in Norfolk (UK). We stayed at a seaside resort named Hermanus, after the popular holiday spot Hermanus on the coast of the Western Cape of South Africa.  The accommodation at Norfolk’s Hermanus was a set of Rondavels built to resist the inclement North Sea climate. These rondavels continue to accommodate holiday makers today, as we discovered when we visited Winterton-on-Sea in mid-2025.

 

Later on that year, we visited the village of Veryan in Cornwall. This delightful  place has 5 round houses that look like large rondavels. They were constructed in the early nineteenth century.

 

Two bhunga huts in Kutch

In December 2025, we visited Kutch, formerly a kingdom in its own right, but now part of the Indian state of Gujarat.  As we drove through the countryside,  we saw round huts with conical, thatched roofs. They looked just like the rondavels in South Africa.  In Kutch, these rural dwellings are called ‘bhunga’. Like the rondavels in South Africa,  their walls are made with mud. Often colourfully decorated,  the bhungas were designed to withstand the region’s harsh climate and seismic activity. Many of the bhungas one can see house local country folk,  but, just as at Winterton-on-Sea,  bhungas have been built and furnished appropriately to provide picturesque accommodation for tourists.

 

As for their earthquake resistance, a website (www.kaarwan.com/) explained:

“Despite their humble appearance, Kutch Bhungas are remarkably resilient to seismic activity, thanks to their unique construction techniques. The circular shape and low height of the dwellings minimize the impact of earthquakes, while the flexible mud walls and thatched roofs absorb and dissipate vibrations, ensuring the safety of inhabitants during tremors.”

  The idea of building bhunga huts was established after a terrible earthquake hit Kutch in 1819. Thus, to add a note of triviality, the concept of bhunga antedates the so-called bunga bunga parties of which the former Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi was so fond.

Tied and dyed in Kutch (Gujarat)

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BANDHANI IS A METHOD of tie-dyeing that is frequently used by textile workers in the Kutch (Kachchh) district of the Indian state of Gujarat. Knots are tied in the piece of material that is to be dyed, and then the knotted fabric is dipped into a vat of dye. The dye colours all of the material except the parts tied within the knots.

 

To go into a bit more detail,  let me try to explain the procedure.  Starting with the ‘raw’ cloth that is usually whitish in colour,  craftworkers gather small amounts of the material using their fingertips,  and tie these small bundles with thread. The bundles are tied according to a predetermined pattern drawn on the cloth.  The tied cloth is then dipped into a dye. When the dyeing is completed and dried, a new set of knots is tied on the already knotted cloth. The cloth is then dipped into a different  coloured dye. A new set of knots is sometimes then tied according to the kind of design that has been planned, and the cloth is then dipped into yet another colour dye.

 

This process of tying and dyeing can be repeated several times. After the several cycles of tying and dying are completed, the cloth is stretched, the knots undo, and a textile with a fascinatingly complex and beautiful pattern is revealed.

 

The bandhani process is complicated and very demanding. Consequently, the bandhani fabrics are quite highly priced.

 

On several visits to Mandvi in Kutch, we have stopped at an old shop where bandhani fabrics are made and sold. Its current owner, Mr Ashraf Katri, always remembers us when we stop at his shop. He told us that the business has been in existence for at least 150 years. That means the present generation of the family working in the establishment is the fourth or fifth since it first opened.

 

On a couple of occasions, Mr Katri has shown us some bandhani cloth that was made over 100 years ago. The patterning on this old cloth is far more intricate and finely detailed than any bandhani produced today. Mr Katri explained that it must have been made by someone with very tiny fingers, possibly a young child, because only someone with such small fingers would have been able to tie the minute knots needed to create such an exquisitely detailed pattern.

 

Although there are many organised tours offered to show tourists craftspeople at work, they are unnecessary if you are prepared to wander around the bazaar areas and small lanes in places like Mandvi and Bhuj.  By doing so you will spot numerous people creating traditional items in their shops, and most of them are happy to let you watch them at work.

Building boats by hand at a port in Kutch, (Gujarat, India)

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THE SEAPORT MANDVI in the Kutch district of the Indian state of Gujarat was founded by Maharao Khengarji I, the ruler of the kingdom of Kutch, in 1580. It became an important, thriving centre of trade for several centuries. And for over 400 years it has been a place where dhows have been built. Today, these huge wooden ships can be seen in various stages of construction along the banks if the Rukmavati River on whose shore lies the town of Mandvi.

 

The dhows are constructed largely by hand as they have been done for over 400 years. They are built with timber, sal wood, imported from Malaysia. Today, the timber is landed at the port of Kandla in Kutch  a d brought by road to Mandvi.

 

According to an article in the The Hindu  newspaper dated April 2017:

“As maritime trade grew, traders—belonging to the seafaring Kharva community of both Hindus and Muslims—developed a new expertise: boat-making and repairing to add to their traditional navigational skills.”

 

Furthermore ,  the arti le related, the dhows:

“… built by hand by craftsmen who are barely literate and have no training in engineering, the ships come up expertly without so much as a sketch being referred to.”

I found this to be quite amazing.

 

The dhows take several year to be built. When they are completed,  they are usually  towed to the Persian Gulf where they are fitted with engines. Occasionally,  engines are fitted in Mandvi.

 

Having been fitted with engines in the Gulf, they return to Mandvi with a small crew. Back in Mandvi,  the dhows are loaded with cargo and a larger crew before sailing back to the Middle East.  About a year after they have been completed,  the dhows are sold in the Gulf or East Africa.

 

Whereas in the past, the dhows had a capacity of about 40 Tonnes, some of those being built today can carry up to 2000 Tonne.

 

Whenever we visit my wife’s cousins, who lives close to Mandvi, we take a walk along the road next to stretch of shore where the dhows are being made. The huge timber structures, upon which men are assembling the ship using hand held tools. The workmen appear to cling to the beams of timber as they worked on the ship. They do not wear safety harnesses.

 

The ‘embryonic’ dhows are surrounded by piles of uncut timber as well as the planks that have been cut prior to being attached to the ships being constructed.  Apart from the building  materials, the area contains numerous stray dogs and the occasional foraging cow.

 

Mandvi is about 250 miles northwest of Alang (in Saurashtra,  Gujarat),  which we have visited. It is in Alang that ships that have reached the end of their lives are broken up. I was interested to read in The Hindu article that in Mandvi:

“The boat-makers use old generators discarded from dismantled ships lying in Gujarat’s Alang ship-breaking yard. These are then modified by installing gear boxes in them and converted into boat engines.”

 

I have no idea for how much longer  the handmade dhows will continue to be built in Mandvi. So, if you are able, a visit to Mandvi to see this traditional boat building  is well worthwhile. It is handicraft on a huge scale.

Where royalty was cremated in Kutch (Gujarat)

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WHEN RAJPUT ROYALTY were cremated, their ashes were taken to be immersed in a holy river, usually the Ganges. However, at the spot where they were cremated, a memorial was erected, often in the form of a chhatri: a stone canopy supported by pillars. Often, the chhatris were quite elaborate and highly ornamented.

Next to one of the lakes in Bhuj, lies the city’s Chhatedi, a large area containing the chhatris (cenotaphs) of the Jadeja rulers of Kutch. Sadly, these cenotaphs suffered much damage during the earthquake of 2001. Thus, today the Chhatedi of Bhuj has become a picturesque set of ruins.

Although this is our fifth visit to Bhuj, it was only this time (December 2025) that we took a close look at the Chhatedi, now a site maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India. Apart from the remains of the grander chhatri, there are many smaller memorials. Often these bear a pair of carved footprints. I imagine that these smaller cenotaphs commemorate the cremation sites of lesser members of the Jadeja families: wives and children. One chhatri is particularly interesting because its roof is decorated with coloured tiling.

Surprisingly, the Chhatedi of Bhuj is one of the sights in the city that is less visited by tourists. It seems to be popular with young couples, who sit in shady spots passing the time of day. When we visited it one morning, there were few other tourists, but a party of local school children were being taken to see the place. They were in their pre-teens. What struck us was that many of these little girls were wearing lipstick, presumably to appear smart on their outing.

The Chhatedi provides great opportunities for photographers. While we were at the site, we saw a family of Indian tourists arrive at one of the larger cenotaphs. Their small daughter was dressed in her finest clothes. Her father got her to pose in front of a statue of a musician on the largest and most elaborate chhatri, and then clicked a photograph. Immediately after that, he told his family:
“Chalo” [‘let’s go’], and they exited the site. In my opinion, that was too rapid a visit. To enjoy exploring the Chhatedi, you should set aside about 30 to 45 minutes.

Although no longer recognised by the Government of India, the Jadeja royalty are held in high regard by many people in Kutch. During a conversation with a member of the family, he told us that the cremation of his grandfather, the last Maharao of Kutch, could not be carried out at the Chhatedi because the authorities would not allow it. In future, cremations of members of the former Royal family will probably no longer be performed in the traditional place: the Chhatedi of Bhuj.

The loss of an earring made by a jeweller in Bosnia

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ONE MORNING IN Kutch (part of Gujarat), we set off to see a historical monument not far from the town of Mandvi. On the way, we stopped at a cash machine (ATM) to withdraw some cash.

We inserted the debit card and the appropriate PIN code. After keying in the amount we wanted, the machine made the normal noises, and then asked us to remove the cash and our card. To our great dismay it delivered no cash. Yet, we received an SMS stating we had just withdrawn the amount of cash we had keyed in. This worried us greatly.

Fortunately, there was a branch of our bank near the ATM. We spoke with the manager, and explained what had happened. After taking a few details, he resolved the situation and instructed the cashier to give us the cash we had wanted. From his desk, he also managed to ascertain that the ATM had suffered a technical problem.

We drove on towards our intended destination. Despite information on the Internet and on noticeboards, all of which suggested that the place would be open, it was closed. The watchman at the gate explained that the attraction was closed for repair. However, he let us go in for a couple of minutes, after telling us that if anyone saw us enter, he would be in big trouble.

After this second mishap of the day, our driver took us to see a lovely Hindu temple a few miles away. As we began walking around the place, my wife noticed that one of her earrings had become detached. It was one of a pair that a jeweller in Sarajevo (Bosnia) had made. The pair had been made by the uncle of one my Bosnian dental patients, who, having been pleased with my dentistry, had given them to me to present to my wife. These earrings were of great sentimental value, and Lopa was most unhappy to have lost one.

After retracing our steps in the temple compound and failing to find the piece of jewellery, we decided to return to the bank and the ATM, where during the panic of the debit card problem, it might have fallen. On the way, we returned to the closed visitor attraction. We asked the watchman of he had spotted the earring. He had not.

So, we decided to search the part of the driveway, where we had stopped earlier. Lopa and I looked around in vain. Then, our driver joined the search. Within a couple of minutes, he found the earring in the gravel of the roadway. Sadly, either something had driven over it or stepped on it. The earring was intact but the silver stone setting had been distorted. We will have it repaired by Kalim, our skilful jewellery repairer in Bangalore.

They say things happen in threes. That was the case that morning in Kutch. Fortunately, two of the three problems were resolved in a good way.

Africans in a royal procession in Kutch painted in 1876

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WHAT REMAINS OF the Aina Mahal Palace in Bhuj (Kutch, Gujarat) after the powerful earthquake of 2001 is now open to the public as a fascinating museum. One of its many remarkable exhibits is a painting, which is 15 metres long and 22 cm wide. Painted in 1876 by Mr Juma Ibrahin Wadha, it depicts in minute detail a Kutch State parade during the reign of Maharao Pragmalji II, who was on the throne between 1860 and 1875.

The faces in the painting are all portraits of individuals – actual depictions, not stylised images. The degree of detailing is superb – almost photographic, yet still artistic.

Amongst the many faces that can be seen on the painting are several which have unmistakably black African features. They are all soldiers dressed in armour and guarding the Maharani, the Maharao’s queen. It is possible that they might have been eunuchs, but detailed as the picture is, this cannot be ascertained by examining it!

Black Africans travelled to India (mostly as slaves) from East Africa to Gujarat and Kutch during the 14th to 17th centuries. Mainly of Bantu descent, many of them converted to Islam. Some of them rose to high positions in society. For example, one of them became a general, who founded the Sidi Saiyedd mosque in Ahmedabad. Their descendants are known as members of the Siddi community. Known as Sheedhi in Pakistan, there is apparently a significant number of them in Lowe Sindh and Karachi. Currently, there are about 50000 Siddis in India, of which about one third live not in Gujarat but in Karnataka.

There are many other interesting details on the picture of the parade, but it was the depictions of Siddi soldiers that particularly caught my attention.