1. My host in Dhordo asked me to visit and click pictures of Tent City. Managed to do so about 8 pm. Tent City is spread over a large area amidst sand & sand on all sides. It has got different categories of tents. Design is tents in a semi-circle with sitting area in the centre. View outside VVIP tents.
2. This is the bedroom of the VVIP tent. Prime Minister Modi stayed here. Recently Sachin Tendulkar stayed here too. Modern & good facilities. Was told government of Gujarat has made the facility and it is run on a day to day by a private party. Tent City comes alive for about 4 months in a year for eg the dates are 1st November 2018 to 4th March 2019.
3. This tent is for Chief Ministers – officials at that level.
4. This cluster of tents is for tourists. Tents in a circle with sitting area in the centre. Evening lovely weather – you can sit and relax. No drinks permitted due to prohibition in Gujarat. They have a musical program in the evenings.
5. This tent is for ordinary tourists. From tent city visit Kalo Dunger, Salt Desert etc. Please see albums on Mud Paintings Bhungas for detail of shops to visit in village Ludiya Gandhi Nu Gam and Abdul pottery in Khavda.
6. When lit tent city is wow. Entrance to dining hall. Wish they had a larger amusement centre for kids and games like table-tennis / carom.
7. Huge dining hall has buffet. I wish they had an open air sitting facility too. Who wants to visit Kutch in winters and have dinner in an aircon room?
8. Local ladies making bajre ki roti.
9. Reception area, loved the lighting and decoration. To book rooms online http://rannutsav.com/packagetour2.php
10. Tent City is expensive. If you want a cheaper option outside Tent City on left is a place i.e. managed by the village panchayat. Each room is a stand-alone bhunga, the traditional Kutchi mud hut with thatched roof and decorative hand-painted motifs. Everything here is a shade of brown—the land, the huts, the thatch.
11. Room inside Bhunga. Most bhungas have inlaid glasswork on the walls or within the paintings as you see in pic. To book online http://www.kutchrannresort.com/
12. Once you turn left for Hodko, you see numerous hotels offering stay in traditional bhungas. In Hodko village locals too started home stays and small hotels. Locals told me that ever since Rann Utsav started more and more hotels like this have sprung up.
13. This is the very popular Shaam-E-Sarhad at Hodko. The venture is promoted jointly by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, United National Development Program & facilitated by Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan in partnership with local NGOs.
14. View of Bhunga at Shaam-E-Sarhad. You can book online. Liked this place. They have cultural programs in the evening. To book online www.hodka.in, email hodka.in@gmail.com.
For a senior & super Kutch guide call Pramod Jethi 91 93742 35379. For car hire call Narendra Bhai 91 9925440072 or Meet Bhai 91 88661 94748 or 87803 77140 whom I used.