Rannotsav kicks off with ‘Kutch Carnival'

The sixth Rannotsav began with 'Kutch Carnival' at the bank of the historic Hamirsar Lake here on Tuesday evening. The annual three-day event was formally inaugurated by chief minister Narendra Modi in the presence of his ministerial colleagues, three foreign mission heads and tourists joining the conducted tour of TCGL.

Though people of Bhuj had turned up in large numbers, many left the venue when they found that the carnival started very late and ministers continued their long speeches. The unprecedented tight security also was a great hindrance.

Modi was, however, in his best. While his ministerial colleagues spoke from the rostrum where a bulletproof glass enclosure was erected, Modi brushed aside this shield of security and spoke on the open mike placed in the middle of the stage.

Modi said with continuous organisation of this annual event, his government was able to market Kutch as a place with a variety of tourism attraction. "When you go to Agra to see Taj Mahal, you would be bored after a few hours. So is the case with other tourism spots in the country. But here, in Kutch, a week will not suffice to see the unique tourism wealth of Kutch,'' he said.

He said the Great Rann of Kutch was always considered a curse for ages. But now things have changed as it is no more a vast useless flat land covered with salt. "This is not a Rann (desert), but a Toran (an ornamental arch) of Hindustan. You see the glittering Rann in full moonlight. You would have no such mind-soothing experience anywhere in the world,'' he said. 

Modi said at present the tourism business in the world was worth seven trillion dollars (3 lakh billions) which the country had capability to attract. "Unlike the west where tourism means mere entertainment, we could do on the basis of our heritage."

In all, 36 teams from various parts of the state presented their items and winners were given prizes.