Kutch is synonymous with parched land and destruction due to the earthquakes. On closer look you realize that it is a living museum - a riot of colours, where stitches weave into exquisite embroidery and a lot more.

Google Kutch, specifically Bhuj, and the results would be both brief and unreliable. Luckily for us, one of our friends had a skeletal itinerary from their trip. Taking that as a guide, we headed out to explore this last frontier in our five-day road trip.

Reaching there

We drove down to Bhuj from Jamnagar, stopping at a pure vegetarian hotel for a piping hot lunch of typical Gujarati fare. The 8-hour drive is brightened by several bridges, water bodies, windmills, thorn bushes and nomads. Bhuj is the largest city in Kutch and is well connected to major Indian cities by railways. The closest airport is Jamnagar airport which has daily flights to Mumbai.

Tryst with Royalty

Doing touristy sight-seeing in Bhuj does not take more than half a day and Old Bhuj is just the place to explore.

Aina Mahal was built in the 18th century by Maharao Shri Madansinghji Saheb, the last king of Kutch. Except for One wing that houses the museum, the rest of the wings are closed or are under renovation due to damage caused by 2001 earthquake.

The museum had three parts viz. Aina Mahal (mirror palace), Hira Mahal (diamond/precious stone palace) and Fuvara Mahal (fountain palace). It was in the Aina Mahal that the King entertained his guests. Today the mirrors in the Aina Mahal are old and have lost their sheen, but just imagining the yesteryear grandeur gladdens the heart. The artifacts such as paintings done in real gold with jewels embedded in them, elephant tusk door, ari embroidery, gold painted Chinese cupboard and chest are worth seeing!

Hira Mahal was the state bedroom. It also covered with mirrors and one candle can light up the whole room (we should use this trick to save electricity!) One piece of advice though, don't expect the grandeur of Rajasthan while visiting Kutch palaces because then you sure will be disappointed! As such the charm and beauty of Kutch and Rajasthan are of different genres.

Aina Mahal also houses the Rani Vas and Prag Mahal. Prag Mahal. Rani Vas was the Queen’s palace and is in a pretty shoddy shape. Prag Mahal is stunning from the outside, while inside is so poorly maintained that you can save your Rs. 12 entry fee and you won't miss out anything, for that matter you'll be safe from the stench and pigeon shit!

Some parts of the songs from the movie Lagaan were shot here, perhaps they’d have touched up the whole of the interior for that!

Sharad Baug Palace is another must-see in Bhuj. It belongs to Madan Singhji whose ancestors now live in Mumbai. The moment we walked into the palace complex and into the garden, the cool environment welcomed us and the breath of fresh air felt- obviously fresh!

The garden is perfectly mowed, and the palace is small, but beautiful. The main palace is closed down because the quake shook its very foundation; however the dining area cum kitchen complex is open to public and is presently a museum. Most artifacts in this museum are very recent and very well preserved. The ones that caught my eye were two huge elephant’s tusks, a silver basin, dining table chairs and coffin. The authorities of Aina Mahal must learn something about preserving artifacts from those of the Sharad Baag one's!

Sea, Sand and Palace - Mandvi

Water indeed is liquid life. After so much heat and desert like terrain, a beach is the perfect respite! Mandvi is a quaint little sea-side town, 3-hours away from Bhuj. The drive to Mandvi is an experience in itself with its alternating desert-coastal vegetation, refreshing sea breeze, smooth road and sparse traffic.

One can spot tourists in shorts and flowery shirts giving Mandvi a Goan charm. The beach stretches through the length of the town, as the coconut and palm trees dotting the shore sway to the breeze. The beach is not as magnificent as the beaches at Diu or Goa, it is in fact quite crowded on weekends. But the sunset from this far-off western beach of India is glorious. Apart from watching the sunset, one can take a camel ride, pose in front of giant windmills and splash in the water and get squeaky clean again thanks to the bathing and changing room facility, which though are not so clean.

15-minutes away from the main stretch of the beach is the Mandvi Palace. The Palace is a relatively new one in terms of the age of the historic monuments. It is also a small palace when compared to the gigantic palaces that still stand proudly elsewhere in Gujrat and Rajasthan. It was the residence of the Raja of Kutch. Now, the palace and the in-house museum are open to tourists. If you recall Aishwarya Rai, sitting on a swing, against the backdrop of her Haveli in the movie Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, this is where it was shot.

The rules that the Palace authorities have advocated are remarkable. The palace is a pollution-free and a noise-free zone. Honking is banned, so is disturbing the animal and bird life that it houses. From the top of the Palace one can get a panoramic view of this coastal town. Adjoining the palace complex is the Mandvi Beach Resort offering luxury stay in cottages, on a private beach in a complete five star style. However, be ready to shell out those extra bucks.