Bhuj- the gateway to the unseen locales

The traditional Bandhini style cloth

Rann of Kutch during the annual festival

Bhuj is the district head of the kutch region in Gujarat. Recently, i had a nice opportunity to visit this place to get a quick glimpse of the cultural magnificence of this part of India. This small town is famous for its embroidery and  the traditional Bandhini styled clothes.The local people say that many famous movies like Lagaan,Refugee and some more were shot here. It is also famous for many handicrafts made out of wood and other such material which have the trademark designs of the kutch region. the city has two lakes and technically speaking does not offer much of tourist spots.it acts as the locus for many tourists places situated at 60-70 km from Bhuj. Some of the tourist places which are worth visiting are Rann of Kutch, Dholavira, Mandhvi port
The Rann of kutch is a stretch of white desert which turns into a marsh land during the monsoons and is best visited during the winters. The govt of Gujarat holds an annual festival here every december where in visitors are allowed to stay in the tents and enjoy some of the splendid cultural programs indigenous to the Gujarati people.This place requires a permit to visit and this can be arranged in the DSP office in Bhuj.
Dholavira is the only harrapan site in India( the other being in Pakistan) is famous for its archaeological connections.It has got the ruins and is a must see to know more about the history of the human civilization. This place is very close to the Indo- Pak border and has heavy security.
The Mandhvi port is also famous for its beach. This is one of the pristine beaches doting the vast coastline of the state. It is a very nice holiday spot.Note: Gujarat is a dry state. Hence, Liquor is sold in few of the permit shops.

Places to stay
Budget- Gangaram hotel ( Rs 500-1000/day)
Premium-Hotel prince ( Rs 800-5000/day)
Note: there were few more decent hotels like hotel KBN and Hotel ilak which were also in the same league as prince. i stayed in prince and had an wonderful experience as their servicing is too good.