Heavy rains push back Rannotsav dates

By Kulsum Yusuf

Water in desert unlikely to dry up before Dec: Officials

Those waiting for the popular Rannotsav, the annual carnival in the middle of Kutch desert, this year may have to wait for another month. The festival, organised at the white desert in Dhordo, was supposed to kick off on October 28 this year and continue till February 23, 2020. But, thanks to heavy rains, it has been postponed.

The state information department, in a releases stated that the Rannotsav booking would be done with due clarification and informing guests that the white desert would not be firm before the third week of December.

Kutch collector M Nagrajan Mahalingam confirmed that there was lot of water in the marshy desert which has affected the schedule of the annual festival.

Miyahussain Gulbeg, head of Shirdi village who is well-acquainted with the desert, said, "There is at least two feet water across the desert, including at the zero point where tourists are taken to experience the white desert. It is impossible for so much of water to dry up in a month."

However, Bhavik Sheth, finance and operation manager with the firm that officially sets up the Tent City in the vast desert, said, "We will kick off the festival from November 1 and will start taking tourists to the white desert right from that day. The white desert formation is a natural phenomenon, but staying at the tent city is a unique experience in itself."

Last year, the tent city hosted 32,000 tourists whereas lakhs of others visited the white desert during the day, skipping the stay at tent city. According to sources, this year, approximately 15,000 people have already booked tents so far.

Rajkot-based teacher Heena Sanghavi had planned a few months ago to visit the Rannotsav this time with family and friends from Mumbai during Christmas holidays. However, the news of postponement of the dates has ruined all her plans. "The children will not have holidays during January-February. Additionally, they will have exams in March, so a visit in February is not possible at all. Now we will have to wait for another year to go to the Rannotsav," said Sanghavi.