Kutch: A Pictorial Journey
Situated in the northwestern border regions of Gujarat, Kutch is India’s largest district. Famous for the Rann of Kutch – a shallow wetland that is submerged in water during the annual monsoons, and turns into the widely known marshy salt flats during the rest of the year when the water evaporates – Kutch is a unique example of life thriving in the middle of adversity. Despite the arid and dry conditions of the region, life thrives here aplenty; the local people and their vibrant customs, traditions, folklore, and styles of living come together in a rich tapestry of harmony and life. Diinesh Kumble’s Kutch: A Pictorial Journey is an attempt by the author to showcase the region in all its splendour and glory. The author, Diinesh Kumble, is the founder of India’s first sports software company, Stump Vision. A full-time photographer since 2004, and a professional one from 2008, he has been the recipient of several accolades and awards, and is the author of three previous books on wildlife.
Kutch: A Pictorial Journey is the result of extensive travelling over 10,000 km across Kutch in 2012 and 2013, and coming in close contact with the local people and way of life there. The book is divided into six main sections: an Introduction, and five sections that divide the region into five major zones and look at each of them in detail. Filled with little tidbits of information and interesting facts and anecdotes, the five sections – Grand Desert, Central Bastion, Along The Coastline, Western Frontier, and Eastern Gateway – paint a fascinating and vivid picture of the unique diversity spread across this small part of the world, and the amazing history and traditions that each of them is steeped in. Of course, no coffee table book is complete without great photographs, and true to his reputation, Kumble does not disappoint. The book is full of large and beautifully rendered images that capture various aspects of Kutch – from its monuments and architecture of note, to the people of the region, and their customs, traditions, clothes, and lifestyle; from the different landscapes to the vast variety of flora and fauna that can be found here – Kumble’s lens has captured it all, and the results are visible in spectacular form in this book.
Being a coffee table book, Kutch: A Pictorial Journey is not a guide-book, nor is it meant to serve as a definitive encyclopedia on Kutch. However, the book does a beautiful job of showcasing Kutch to the uninitiated reader, revealing just enough to successfully transport him/her to a land that embraces its glorious past and heritage, yet continues to adapt itself to changing times. Travellers, historians, sociologists, wildlife enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to learn more about the myriad marvels of Kutch will find Kutch: A Pictorial Journey a most engrossing read. Published by the Commissionerate of Information, Gujarat, and available in markets soon at a price of Rs. 2,750, Diinesh Kumble’s Kutch: A Pictorial Journey is more than another travel coffee table book – it is a celebration of the beauty and grandeur of Kutch, and its many many facets.
Published by: Commissionerate of Information, Gujarat. www.gujaratinformation.net
Design & Production: Krab Media & Marketing Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru. info@ krabmedia.com | www.krabmedia.com
Printing: Pragati Offset Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad.