Its sunset time . Time to arrive at the edge of the white desert. Its shimmering white for miles and miles . There is nothing - no tree, no shrub, just endless vista of salt and white. The hordes are thankfully missing, but a few have come to "see" the desert. Some are disappointed that there is no sand. I get into the salt flats and walk for a couple of kilometres. The salt crunches under your feet, but its hard baked under that - so no danger of sinking into a salt mire. The sun is going down. In the twilight the salt shimmers. The few remaining visitors are going back one by one. The last has left. I am all alone. There is no soul for miles. The salt takes on an eerie glow as the sun sets. Its getting dark. The silence is utter - not even the whisper of a wind. I commune with myself. Under the sky and the immensity of the vast empty space, I can get a real picture of my place in the universe and the utter insignificance of it all. The sun has now set and the darkness creeps in. I am still in a meditative mood. As even the shimmering white from the salt dies down, I know why I drove all those miles to come here . To behold and wonder at the Great Rann of Kutch.

The Rann of Kutch is divided into the Great Rann and the Little Rann. I am at the Great Rann - which extends well into Pakistan. The salt desert is a magnificent spectacle – vast, desolate and awe inspiring. It was a shallow of the Arabian Sea until geological shifts closed off the connection with the sea. A vast salt lake was formed which then dried up. Even now, during the rains, it becomes a massive wetland, but soon afterwards, the water dries up in the blistering heat and the white desert cakes up all over. The Banni shrubland borders the Rann and is the home of the hardy Kutchis. This is where you can stay and go to the edge of the salt pans - no human can survive for long deep into the salt desert. There is no life there - nothing.

Amitabh Bachchan is everywhere here too. Thanks to his promotion, Indians are visiting the Rann in great numbers. The Rann Utsav is held by the government of Gujarat from mid Dec to mid Feb . A huge tented city comes up in the middle of nowhere, at Dhordo village , on the footsteps of the salt expanse. It’s a kitschy, noisy festival, as you can imagine will appeal to the tourist hordes (its entirely coincidental that the festival ended on 15 Feb and I reached the Rann on 20^th !!!!)

There is another way to enjoy the Rann too. Go on a moonlit night. Walk a kilometre or two into the "White Desert" until there is nobody around. The moonlight reflects from the salt and there is a wonderful effect of shimmer. Hold hands with your significant other and life may take an altogether new meaning ! Give it a try, all you romantic ones !!

Its now pitch dark. The distant lights of the "shore" is the only sign of which direction is "back". I am reluctant to leave. I am still not at peace. But, as they say, time and tide wait for none. I turn in the direction of the distant lights. I take a step. The salt crunches. I fancy a goodbye shimmer from the vast emptiness. My head is bowed. The tread is a tad heavy. Its time to go back.