The unimaginable Kutch

Here I start with formal information about Kutch. I used wikipedia for taking out the use full facts.

Introduction:

• Kachchh which is also spelled as Kutch is a district of Gujarat state in western India.
• Covering an area of 45,612 km², it is the largest district in the state of Gujarat and the second largest district of India after Leh.
  
• Kachchh District is surrounded by the Gulf of Kachchh and the Arabian Sea in south and west, while northern and eastern parts are surrounded by the Great and Small Rann (seasonal wetlands) of Kachchh.
• When there were not many dams built on its rivers, the Rann of Kachchh remained wetlands for a large part of the year.
• The district had a population of 1,583,225 of which 30% were urban as of 2001.
• Motor vehicles registered in Kutch district have their registration Number starting with GJ-12.

Geography

• The Kachchh district, with 45,652 km², is the second largest district in India.
• The administrative headquarters is in Bhuj which is geographically in the center of district. Other main towns are Gandhidham, Rapar, Adipur, Anjar, Mandvi and Mundra.
• The district has 966 villages.

Languge

• The languages spoken predominantly in Kachchh are Kachchhi and to lesser extent Gujarati and Sindhi.

People

• While certain groups like the Kachchi Mali Samaj, Leva Patel, Rabaris, Meghvals, Wankars,Vankaras, Ahirs, and many others have adopted a settled lifestyle and have struck a life rhythm close to that of modern-day towns, some groups such as Dhanetah Jaths, Halepotra, Bhadalas, Raisipotra, and the Sammas, Node, and other Muslim groups of the Banni region, who live simpler lifestyles.
  

Economy and Industries

• Kutch has a very large number of small truck fleet owners
  
• Location on the far western edge of India has resulted in the commissioning of two major ports Kandla and Mundra.
  
• Kutch is Mineral rich region with very large reserve of Lignite, Gypsum and lot of other mineral
• Lignite is mined only by Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) at its 2 mines in Panandhro and Mata-No-Madh.
• Kutch also houses Sanghi Industries Ltd's Cement Plant. It is the India's single largest Cement Plant
  
• Kutch region is also a major producer of Salt
  

Handicrafts

• Kachchh has a strong tradition of crafts. The most famous craft of the region is its diverse embroideries
  
• Today over 16 different types of embroideries are being produced commercially by a few societies and a couple of private corporations
  
• Some of the embroideries still being produced in the region are
  Aari ,Aahir,Pakko,Neral, Kambira, Khudi Teba, Chikken, Katri, Chopat, Gotan, Mukko, soof, Kharek, Jat - Gracia , Jat -Fakirani, Noday
• Important resource centers for embroidery in the region are Shrujan, Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS), Kalaraksha and Women Artisans' Marketing Agency (WAMA)
• Another important art of Kutch is bandhani
• Kutch has a history of very fine quality Ajarakh printing. This is a very complex hand printing technique using wodden blocks
  
• Mud work is another artwork of Kutch. Artistic wall pieces made with mud and mirror work are used to decorate homes
  
• The bells are made by approximately 25 families in the villages of Zura, Nirona and Bhuj
  
• Lacquer work is carried out by the Vadha community
  
• Kutch is also home to a school of hand loom weaving

History

• Prehistoric Period
  Ten Indus scripts discovered near the northern gate of Dholavira
  A few of major towns belonging to Indus Valley Civilization are located in Kachchh. Dholavira locally known as Kotada Timba is one of the largest and most prominent archaeological site in India belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization. It is located on the Khadir island in northern part of the Kachchh district - the island is surrounded by water in the monsoon season. The Dholarvira site is believed to be inhabited between 2900 BCE and 1900 BCE, declining slowly after about 2100 BCE, briefly abandoned and then reoccupied, finally by villagers among its ruins, until about 1450
  
• Medieval Period
  Kutch was formerly an independent state, founded in the late 13th century by a Samma Rajput named Jada, from which name the Jadeja Rajputs derive their patronymic. The Jadeja dynasty ruled not only Kutch but also much of neighbouring Kathiawar for several centuries until the independence of India in 1947. In 1815, Kutch became a British protectorate and ultimately a princely state, whose local ruler acknowledged British sovereignty in return for local autonomy. A beautiful mirror palace, one surviving relic of the princely era is the Aina Mahal ("mirror palace"), built in the 1760s at Bhuj for the Maharao of Kutch by Ram Singh Malam who had learnt glass, enamel and tile work from the dutch
  
• # Modern Period
  Upon the independence of India in 1947, Kachchh acceded unto the dominion of India and was constituted an independent commissionerate. It was created a state within the union of India in 1950. On November 1, 1956, Kachchh was merged with Bombay state, which in 1960 was divided into the new linguistic states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. Kachchh thereupon became a part of Gujarat state.
  After the Partition of India in 1947, the province of Sindh, including the port of Karachi, ended up in Pakistan. The Indian Government constructed a modern port at Kandla in Kutch to serve as a port for western India in lieu of Karachi. There was a dispute over the Kutch region with Pakistan and fighting broke out just months before the outbreak of the Second Kashmir War. Pakistan claimed 3,500 sq. mi of the land and an international tribunal was set up. It, however, awarded only 350 sq. mi of the claim by Pakistan, the vast majority remaining with India. Tensions flared again during the Atlantique Incident as it came just weeks after the 1999 Kargil Conflict.
  The epicentre of the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake was in this district. It was the most severe earthquake (out of more than 90 earthquakes) to hit Kutch in 185 years. Much of Bhuj was destroyed or damaged as were many villages. Many of the attractions of Bhuj, including the Aina Mahal, have still not been restored