If the wild beauty of the white Rann of Kutch enthrals you, the enigma of Kalo Dungar and the myths and legends around it are sure to intrigue you. Travel is all about unexpected twists and turns, about stories from unexpected places that defy belief and take your mind on a roller-coaster ride beyond the borders of imagination.

Kalo Dungar is one such place, that is a smorgasbord of unbelievable myths and facts. It is that kind of a place, where the boundaries blur, be it geographical boundaries or boundaries between truth and fiction. Read on to know more about this unique and amazing place in Kutch, the largest district of India, which spans over a massive area of 45,652 square kilometres.

Kalo Dungar – Spectacular Views And More

Kalo Dungar is of course about views of the spectacular and seemingly never-ending Rann of Kutch. But there is more to this place which is relatively off the beaten track. Kalo Dungar is known for its viewpoints, including a sunset point where you can watch the sun disappear in the wide expanse of the white desert. It also has a temple of Dattatreya, the syncretic deity of Hinduism who is a combined avatar of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Not far from Kala Dungar is the Anti-Gravity Slope, which has become another point of attraction in the area.

Visiting Kalo Dungar

If you are in Kutch during the Rann Utsav, or even otherwise, you must plan to visit the Kalo Dungar. The place is about 46 kilometres from the Tent City in Dhordo, which is the venue of the Rann Utsav, and the Rann Of Kutch to Kalo Dungar distance is about 36 kilometres.

Kalo Dungar in Gujarati means, “Black Hill.” As the name suggests it is a hill located in the seemingly unending expanse of the Rann of Kutch with a height of about 462 metres above sea level.

The hill is located adjacent to the village of Khavda. The Indo-Pak border is not far from here and there is a military post through which visitors need to pass to enter Kalo Dungar. Kalo Dungar To Pakistan Border distance is about 127 kilometres. The Khavda village is the last village on the Indian side before the Indo-Pak border. India bridge which leads to the border can be viewed from Kalo Dungar with the help of binoculars.

The Drive To Kalo Dungar

We drove down to Kala Dungar from the Tent City in Dhordo where we were staying as part of our Rann Utsav experience. From the parking lot to the Military post, we hopped on to a rickety open jeep, which careered crazily up a steep road, as we hung on to the railings for dear life.

We got down near a gate where there is a military post to walk a couple of kilometres to the top. A paved path with steps that gradually ascends to the summit of the Black Hill, makes for an easy climb.

At the beginning of the path, there are shops on either side that sell trinkets, clothes, handicrafts, snacks, tea, Sugarcane juice, and a lot more.

Dattatreya Temple Kalo Dungar & The Hungry Jackals

As you begin your ascent towards the top of Kalo Dungar, towards the left stands a temple. Many pass by without a second glance. But the origins of the temple date back over 400 years. This is the Kalo Dungar Dattatreya Temple. The temple is considered very sacred and has many myths and legends attached to it. One of the most fascinating legends of the Dattatreya Temple at Kalo Dungar is about the wild jackals that inhabit the Kala Dungar.

Legend has it that once God Dattatreya had descended on earth and was walking along the region of Kala Dungar when he came across some jackals who were searching for food. The harsh terrain was a challenge for the life of any sort and the Jackals were finding it hard to survive. They looked at Dattatreya with pleading eyes.

The pain he saw in the eyes of the Jackals, so moved the Lord, that having nothing else, he offered his hand as food to the Jackals, saying, “Le Ang,” which roughly translates as, “Take this part of my body.” The Jackals did as directed, however, Dattatreya was God incarnate, and his hand regenerated itself. Thus God Dattatreya took pity on the poor Jackals and alleviated their misery.

For hundreds of years, it has been the tradition of the temple to feed Khichdi – a mixture of cooked rice and lentils to the Jackals. A special platform was made and the Jackals would be called with the words, “Le Ang,” and they would troop into feast on the offering. This ritual was followed twice a day, once in the morning, and again in the night. What a marvellous example of the harmonious co-existence of Man and Animal, this was.

However, things are not the same today. Increased tourist footfalls have scared the Jackals away. According to locals, since the last 8 or 10 years, tourists to Kalo Dungar (The Black Hills) Kutch, have increased drastically. Thus the number of Jackals coming for food dwindled and finally stopped.

Kalo Dungar – Black Hill Peak

The peak of Kala Dungar – Black Hill has a small canopy where one can take a rest and enjoy the panoramic views of the Rann of Kutch. It is highly likely that you will be treated to some local music too.

When we were there the soothing notes of the Ektara accompanied the soulful voice of a turbaned man who sang an old Gujarati Bhajan, “Hu To Sasariye Nahin Jaun.” The song is about a girl who sings that she will not go to her husband’s place, as she is now interested in the life of an ascetic or Fakir. We also saw boys singing Hindi songs on our way to the Kala Dungar.

The wind howled across the wide expanse of the White Rann of Kutch as we gazed over the massive expanse of literal nothingness.

It was an awe-inspiring sight, in the distance we could see the white salt marshes stretching towards the distant horizon. We wished that we could be at Kalo Dungar Kutch during sunset, but our schedule did not permit that, so we made our way back, hoping to be back someday to catch the sunset from this vantage point.

Kalo Dungar Magnetic Hill

About 5 kilometres from Kalo Dungar, our bus rolled to a halt and we disembarked. It turned out that the place was the scene of an anti-gravity phenomenon, much like the Magnetic Hill near Leh, Ladakh.

A couple of locals selling colourful turbans hovered around us as we turned towards our bus.

The driver drove the bus a little further down the road that was sloping downwards. After that, he stopped the vehicle and put it on neutral gear, and lo and behold, the bus started moving of its own volition, upwards, defying the pull of gravity that was acting in a downwards direction.

Images of Kalo Dungar, Kutch, Gujarat

Here are a few Kala Dungar Photos.

How To Get To Kala Dungar-Black Hill

• Kalo Dungar To Rann Of Kutch Distance is about 36 kilometres
• Kalo Dungar To White Rann distance is about 49 kilometres
• Tent City to Kala Dungar distance is about 46 kilometres
• The distance from Bhuj to Kalo Dungar Gujarat is about 90 kilometres

By Air

The nearest airport is Bhuj airport at a distance of about 90 kilometres. However, currently, there are limited flight options. Another option is to fly to Ahmedabad and travel by road to Kutch.

By Road

Kalo Dungar can be easily accessed by road. One can use public transport or a self-drive car to reach Bhuj or Dhordo.

Getting To Rann Utsav By Rail

The nearest railway station is Bhuj, about 90 kilometres away. Trains to and from Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat, etc, run from Bhuj.

If you are planning to travel to Kutch for the Rann Utsav or otherwise, you can book your flight tickets right here through TripAdvisor or CheapAir or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline and fly to Ahmedabad or Bhuj. If you are thinking of a complete road trip from Ahmedabad, do check out the rental car and bus options.

Where To Stay While Visiting Kalo Dungar

The Tent City is the ideal place to stay if you are visiting during the Rann Utsav. However, if you are visiting at any other time, there are a number of resorts that you can stay in. This includes the Gateway To Rann Resort in Dhordo.

You can book hotels for any destination right here through any of the below options: TripAdvisor or Cleartrip or Makemytrip or Priceline and save a lot by getting the best deals on booking your stay.

The visit to Kalo Dungar was an eventful one and full of intriguing surprises.

We hope you liked reading about our Kalo Dungar experience in our Kalo Dungar blog post, and it has inspired you to visit this fascinating place in Kutch, Gujarat. Subscribe to our blog for more travel stories from our visits to incredible places in India and elsewhere. Connect with us on our social media channels for more dynamic interaction.

Our visit to Kalo Dungar, Kutch in Gujarat was part of a familiarization trip organized by India Tourism Mumbai – Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Gujarat Tourism under the #DekhoApnaDesh initiative. The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are our own. #KaloDungar #Kutch #Gujarat #GujaratTourism

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