Rann of Kachchh
Also called: Rann of Kutch, Great Rann of Kachchh · Topic: Structure and Physiography of India: Himalayas, Plains, Peninsula, Coasts and Islands · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 2 "Structure and Physiography"; Class 11, Ch 3 "Drainage System"; Class 11, Ch 5 "Natural Vegetation"
Meaning
The Rann of Kachchh is a vast seasonal salt marsh in Kachchh, Gujarat. It has two parts, the Great Rann and the Little Rann. In the monsoon it floods with water. In the dry season the water dries up and leaves a white salt flat. The Luni river ends here, flamingos breed here, and the Little Rann is home to the Indian wild ass. The area also has a very high earthquake risk.
Example
The Little Rann of Kachchh in Gujarat is the home of the Indian wild ass. Dholavira, a Harappan site listed by UNESCO in 2021, lies on Khadir island in the Great Rann.
Don't confuse with
- Thar Desert: this is a sandy desert of dunes north-west of the Aravallis. The Rann is a flat salt marsh, not a dune desert.
- Banni grassland: this is the grassland on the edge of the Great Rann, used by Maldhari herders.