Save our souls
 
Digg us Stumble it! Save us on delicious Find us on twitter Find us on facebook
354
2189
joseph's avatar
08:26 AM
11 August 2009
like it
(1) Comment(s)     (21) like it

On our way to Ajmer

Posted By joseph

joseph's avatar
07:27 AM
11 August 2009
like it
(1) Comment(s)     (17) like it

Thodi si toh Lift kara de!

Posted By joseph


The Elevator at the Meherangarh fort, Jodhpur is meant only for the lazy and time-crunched travellers - US!

joseph's avatar
07:00 AM
11 August 2009
like it
(7) Comment(s)     (19) like it

Meherangarh Fort, Jodhpur!

Posted By joseph

namrata's avatar
09:38 AM
10 August 2009
like it
(3) Comment(s)     (27) like it

Roots in an arid land

Posted By namrata

Desert Coursers, Zainabad


Zainabad, a sleepy little village, some 105 kms from Ahmedabad is home to the royal family of the Maliks. Yesterday, we had the privilege of meeting Prince Dhanraj Shabbir Malik over some afternoon tea and lemonade. The princely state of Zainabad was established by his great-grandfather Zain Khan in the 1890’s. Today, Mr. Malik runs Desert Coursers, a resort in this area, barely 6km away from the Little Rann of Kutch.


Mr. Dhanraj Malik


An expert on the land that his family once commanded, he still looks after 7 villages in the regions surrounding Zainabad. Running schools, medical facilities and orphanages as well as managing his own resort keep him busy throughout the year. The peak tourist season from October to March sees a huge influx of visitors, both foreign and Indian to the Little Rann of Kutch (LRK), hoping to catch a glimpse of the Wild Ass and over 316 varieties of birds that call the Little Rann Santuary, home. Some of these birds migrate to Kutch, during this season, from far away lands like Iran!


His resort and its facilities are featured in the Lonely Planet and he has personally been an advisor to the BBC on many documentaries and studies on the LRK. Gracious, polite and genial, he went out of his way to make us feel comfortable when we landed up at his estate at around 2.30pm. After fascinating us with some facts and stories on this geograhical marvel - the salinity of this denuded land is six times that of sea water!, the silt and sand carried by five rivers into te sea is spread over this region, and when the water completely evaporates it leaves behind a thick layer of salt, giving the Rann its characteristic white color - he helped us chart out a route to take the Blackhawk safely to the Rann and back.


High-tea on the Rann!


We set out for Jinjunwada, a village 16km away from Zainabad, with Mr.Malik’s trusted man friday - Yunus - as our guide for this expedition. We passed a small, delapidated fort and some huge, stone boulders that once upon a time, served as markers for the ships that docked here. This region is now a mish-mash of desert, wetlands, deltas and marginal, agricultural land and does not show any visible signs of being on the coastline, ever!


Sights along the way


We passed some enormous mounds of salt, and some trucks transporting this to the refineries. These little, white pyramids, like buoys dotted our route onto the vast, flat plains called the Little Rann of Kutch. Drinking in the awe-inspiring emptiness and silence of this place, we treaded carefully into the actual Rann. After a few metres we had to halt and park the Ceida to avoid sinking into the still-soft and moist soil. 


Us on the Rann! smile


We spent a couple of hours soaking in this place, our main objective for visiting Gujarat, and soon it was time to head back to Zainabad. Back at the Malik Estate, we enjoyed the cool breeze, seated under a thatched gazebo along their private lake. A few of his dogs - Om (a Saluki), Scooby (an adorable, black Cocker Spaniel) and an unnamed Dalmation (Spotty? Dalmia? smile ) - and his son’s pony, Pyari joined us as we chatted with the man, over some more tea and biscuits. The Saluki breed from Egypt, named after the Arabian city of Saluki, is believed to be one of the oldest and purest species of dogs to inhabit the planet!


Clock-wise from top, Om the Saluki, Pyari the horse, Dalmia the dalmation, and the Scooby the Cocker-Spaniel


After helping us figuring out our travel and stay plans from Zainabad to Mehsana (our initial plan was to halt at Mt.Abu, but we ditched that to avoid any unnecessary driving at night), we bid adieu to Mr. Malik, his father and his two beautiful children, who study at Ahmedabad and drop-in on weekends. 


We hoped that the Rann would live upto our expectations, and the place delivered much more than what we had pictured in our minds. More than that, learning more about the Rann’s difficult living and driving conditions from a Rann veteran himself, enriched our experience and made it a memorable one for life!

Page 11 of 23 pages « First    9 10 11 12 13 >  Last »


Find where Joseph and Namrata are heading

For advanced tracking Click Here

Latest SMS Feeds

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 17th Aug 09 12:59:02 PM

Beautiful drive from Nashik to Bombay, one of THE best roads we have driven on!

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 16th Aug 09 03:20:55 PM

Bright, blue sky.. Cotton candy clouds.. We head to Nasik

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 15th Aug 09 03:54:33 PM

In pot-hole territory. Thank god we are on empty stomachs!

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 14th Aug 09 01:17:21 PM

300km from home! :) :) racing to indore!

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 14th Aug 09 12:08:08 PM

2361 Shivpuri

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 13th Aug 09 04:10:44 PM

10km from Gwalior, pulled over by the police to be asked Kya yeh sports gaadi hai? ;D

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 13th Aug 09 03:43:28 PM

Had breakfast AND lunch today! Niiiice! :D

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 12th Aug 09 02:42:18 PM

Tan! Tandan!! .. Aaja aaja dilli chhodein! .. Delhi dropped from plans. We head straight to Agra!

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 12th Aug 09 01:46:03 PM

It s hot at the Hawa Mahal! :|

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 12th Aug 09 11:41:21 AM

At Akad Cars, the Mitsu showroom. Mr. Abhinav, the MD, is tellim us the best way around Jaipur.

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 12th Aug 09 09:13:27 AM

Good morning world! We are in Jaipur! Today s objective: getting Joe a pink shirt/kurta ;)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 11th Aug 09 07:55:47 PM

On NH8, long day comin to an end.

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 11th Aug 09 04:51:56 PM

Dust storm outside, but IIM Outdoors is snugly cocooned in the Blackhawk :)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 11th Aug 09 01:51:31 PM

Leaving Jodhpur ... On our way to Ajmer.. Hoping to visit the dargah today .. Jodhpur was beautiful! *sigh*

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 11th Aug 09 12:20:07 PM

Just had a long conversation with Mr.Brijraj Singh - great-grandson of HRH Ratan Singh .. Visit to Mehrangarh Fort delayed

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 11th Aug 09 08:52:51 AM

Just got up, not a single post been uploaded so far, gotta hurry.. ttyl :)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 10th Aug 09 07:56:44 PM

In Jodhpur old markets - SHOPPING!

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 10th Aug 09 06:47:10 PM

As the sun sets, we enter Jodhpur, today s travel - 396km, but not feeling blue at all :)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 10th Aug 09 04:50:05 PM

100 km away frm jodhpur, horrible truckyktraffic on the way. Had lunch for the second time in four days! :)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 9th Aug 09 02:27:22 PM

Just had tea with Mr.Dhanraj Mallik, Rann veteran & advisor to the BBC. Right now, on our way to discover some salt pans, thts how we spend our Sunday! ;)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 9th Aug 09 12:05:24 PM

On state highway 07. Namrata s driving while I m writing and Enrique s crooning.

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 8th Aug 09 07:30:34 PM

At the Vintage Villa of classic cars, droolin over the sports tourers. Got here after blastin the 88km NE1 Expressway in 42mins! Cedia, take a bow!

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 7th Aug 09 10:25:40 PM

Ab hum bhi poore punjabi! ... Current track: Kangana .. For Gaurav from Chandigarh :)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 7th Aug 09 09:56:45 PM

Just discovered d USB connector for the blackhawk s music sys... one of d best moments of d day! :D

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 7th Aug 09 05:28:25 PM

Reached our first destination Daman, it even has its own airport! :)

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 7th Aug 09 04:19:19 PM

Just drove 21 km in our cedia, for the very first time! This vehicle is just so smooth!! :) 50 km from Daman. Joe s taken over coz we have to reach by 12

From : IIM Outdoor

Sent : 7th Aug 09 03:09:15 PM

Good morning! :) on our way frm thane to vapi. Jus done upma n rawa dosa at Kamat Vithals. Catch the pic on our flickr n twitter!



About us

Namrata and Joseph, Bombay-ite and Hyderabadi, implore all you interesting, smart, cute and sexy people reading this to please, pleeez follow us !

Fresh out of college, we were thrown into the dust bowls of U.P and the jungles of M.P. Sneaky trainees that we were, we took full advantage of the available resources to explore. Whether the pine trees of Almora or the ruins of Khajuraho, a Bhojpuri film shoot or some gun-laden, mustachioed dudes in the Chambal areas of Bhind - our travels always had added flavor!

Followers



Other Teams

Radhika Bharath
Unny Bindhu

Recent Posts

RSS

The journey begins!

Monday, August 17, 2009


Parking Spots - Part II

Monday, August 17, 2009


A last look - Jaipur

Monday, August 17, 2009


Clippity-clop! Tickkity-tock! - Ajmer!

Monday, August 17, 2009


Bumper stickers - the Indian way!

Sunday, August 16, 2009


Joe broke the car!

Sunday, August 16, 2009


Two teetotallers at a vineyard!

Sunday, August 16, 2009


60 km from Nasik

Sunday, August 16, 2009


Rearview - Indore to Dhule

Sunday, August 16, 2009


Rearview - Rajasthani Roads

Sunday, August 16, 2009


Love. In. With. Jodhpur.

Sunday, August 16, 2009


What’s for lunch?

Saturday, August 15, 2009


Taj - does the love remain?

Saturday, August 15, 2009


Jai Hind!

Saturday, August 15, 2009


11 o’clock maggi on campus!

Friday, August 14, 2009


1136PM aloo onion parathas!

Friday, August 14, 2009


We’re here! Where we belong!

Friday, August 14, 2009


Rain, rain go away!

Friday, August 14, 2009


Roasting in the sun at the Sun-fort!

Friday, August 14, 2009


Royal Rajputana Rajasthani at Ratanada

Friday, August 14, 2009


Gwalior!

Thursday, August 13, 2009


Drinks are served!

Thursday, August 13, 2009


Lunch in d Cedia, I’m lovin it

Thursday, August 13, 2009


Mugal Sheraton

Thursday, August 13, 2009


We’re famous!

Thursday, August 13, 2009


Where it is?

Thursday, August 13, 2009


I love you

Thursday, August 13, 2009


65km from Agra, driving through

Wednesday, August 12, 2009


Enroute to Agra

Wednesday, August 12, 2009


Driving past the Jal Mahal

Wednesday, August 12, 2009


Hawa Mahal

Wednesday, August 12, 2009


At the Mitsu showroom, Jaipur!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009


Parking Spots

Wednesday, August 12, 2009


I am the Rann

Wednesday, August 12, 2009


Ajmer in a tonga!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009


Rajasthan rocks

Tuesday, August 11, 2009


On our way to Ajmer

Tuesday, August 11, 2009


Thodi si toh Lift kara de!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009


Meherangarh Fort, Jodhpur!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009


Roots in an arid land

Monday, August 10, 2009


Day 4 - on to jodhpur

Monday, August 10, 2009


How was your Sunday?

Sunday, August 09, 2009


Hello Ahmedabad, goodbye Ahmedabad

Sunday, August 09, 2009


On Sanand highway

Sunday, August 09, 2009


We are back in operation

Sunday, August 09, 2009


Who da’man!

Sunday, August 09, 2009


Day 2 begins

Saturday, August 08, 2009


Pehla nasha - udwada rly. cross

Friday, August 07, 2009


The journey begins…

Friday, August 07, 2009


Breakfast at Kamat Vithals!

Friday, August 07, 2009


Kabhi alvida…

Thursday, August 06, 2009


Linking Road chalenge kya?

Tuesday, August 04, 2009


Maroon-ed!

Tuesday, August 04, 2009


IIM Outdoor@GDC Auditions - Day 1

Monday, August 03, 2009


We’re here!

Sunday, August 02, 2009


Before I run away - Part II!

Sunday, August 02, 2009


No expectations…

Sunday, August 02, 2009


How you bin’sar?

Saturday, August 01, 2009


Ho ye rickshaw!

Friday, July 31, 2009


Watch it!

Friday, July 31, 2009


Before I run away…

Friday, July 31, 2009


‘Cuz we all need a purpose in life!

Thursday, July 30, 2009


Paradise lost

Wednesday, July 29, 2009


Lunchtime! At the end of the universe.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009


Pirates of the Indian Ocean!

Wednesday, July 29, 2009


Varanasi - a city of two tales

Tuesday, July 28, 2009


Traffic - the great equalizer

Monday, July 27, 2009


Of new beginnings and new heights

Monday, July 27, 2009


Blackhawk, will you be mine?

Monday, July 27, 2009


The pitch that got us here

Thursday, July 23, 2009