The Rann of Kutch. Most of us grow familiar with this phrase during the interminable afternoons of shading maps in high school. The lambent dullness of the hours passing by are punctuated by the tap-tapping of pencils upon paper as they describe the topography of the Rann. But what is the Rann? Is it a desert? A wasteland? An ocean? Perhaps it is all of the above, and more. Kutch is India’s largest district, now indisputably so after Ladakh was made a Union Territory. Much of it lies below mean sea level. The Great Rann of Kutch is a fascinating terrain best known for its ‘white deserts’ – which are in fact salt marshes. The effluents of seasonal rivers flooding into the Rann during the monsoon flood the low-lying land and mingle with brackish water from the Gulf of Kutch, and when the water evaporates, it leaves behind fields of crystalline salt stretching to the horizon. Yet, while this has become the Kutch cliche, there is more to this magical landscape than salt marshes. The westernmost border of India presents discoveries to amaze fans of natural history and wildlife. Explore these facets with our series – Kutch Diaries – authored by Andy.