Sunday, June 05, 2011

On the Way to the Banni Villages

Kutch police hut, where we obtained permission to enter Banni villages near Pakistan border

After a picnic lunch at a crossroads area where people could buy a few convenience foods, have a glass of chai, drop off people or cattle, and rearrange their loads, we drove to the northern areas of Kutch. This treeless area looked rather desolate and foreboding. The dull green of thorny acacia provided the only color against the dusty land. Dust devils spun around playfully.
A desert fox - a rare sighting
A Desert Fox raced across the road - a rare sighting. The road shimmered with heat. We were very thankful that our car had air-conditioning. To reach some of these villages, we had to obtain written permission from the area police. This was likely due to the proximity of the villages to the Pakistan border. As we got closer to the villages, we began seeing a type of role scrub plants that had moisture in it, and was consumed by grazing animals. We began seeing more boats, sheep, and the type of water buffalo that had very curly horns.

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