Our Travels: Kalo Dungar.

Kalo Dungar,

also called,

Kala Dungar.

After spending some time looking around and shopping, we left Gandhi Nu Gamm for Kalo Dunger.

Kalo Dungar was an important part of ancient history when one of the main trade routes between the Middle East countries and indian penunsula passed through this point. It was a trading post as well as a place to halt for the night after a hard day's travel.

Travellers and traders, after traversing through endless miles of the tabletop flat Rann with an average elevation between 5 and 15 feet AMSL, espied this dark-looking hillock of around 450 to 460 feet AMSL; it appeared like a mountain, and they called it Kalo (black) Dungar ( mountain).

Nowadays, it is a tourist attraction for people travelling to Kutch. We had our first glimpse of Klao Dungar when we reached the bus parking area and reached its base around 5:30 PM. From that point, the top and sunset viewpoint is about a kilometre of uphill climb.

SUVs, minivans and mini trucks are available to take the tourist to the top. We travelled in a fairly new SUV; the charges for both ways of travel are Rs 100/- per head. At the top, we were dropped near Shri Dattatreya Mandir.

Shri Dattatreya is a three-headed God and is supposed to unify Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh in one entity. Legend has it that when Shri Dattatreya was wandering around this place, he saw a hungry skulk ( a group of foxes is most commonly called a skulk) overcome with compassion, he offered his body to them till their hunger was satisfied. All the eaten parts were miraculously regenerated. Even today, a special prasad is prepared in the evening and offered to the foxes. A Small but beautiful temple of red sandstone was built around 400 years ago and has become a place of pilgrimage for Shri Dattatreya devotees. The gradual popularity of Kala Dungar as a tourist attraction can be traced back to the building of the temple. We offered prayers and had darshan of Shit Datta, a beautiful idol made of pristine white marble.

After that walked to what is known as sunset view points. Well-constructed gazebo, hard standing and seating arrangements have been constructed.

To be truthful, the Rann of Kutch, the White Desert, is so flat that every point from where you can have an uninterrupted view of the horizon is an ideal sunset or sunrise viewpoint. The beauty of Kalo Dunger is not that you have a beautiful view of the setting Sun, but the amazing and awesome view of the Ran of Kutch Lake and the surrounding landscape for miles and miles around, and for that, the trip to Kalo Dunger was well worth it. Binoculars are available for hire, and you can have a really nice and 'closer view' of interesting landmarks like forward posts of BSF, the Hanuman Mandir, eagerly pointed out by the renter of the binoculars 😊

Enjoyed the amazing all-around panoramic view, saw the truly beautiful sunset. A young girl, a stranger, offered to take and took a beautiful photograph of the view of the setting sun between us with our backs to the camera.

Returned to and reached Rann Utsav, the Tent City, by around 9:15 PM.

First view of Shri Datta Mandir. On the way to Kala Dungar

Tent City bus drops you at the parking lot at the base of Kala Dungar.

One can either walk up to Shri Datta Mandir and the sunset viewpoint, or take local vehicles by paying a fare @ per passenger. Varies depending on the type/ comfort level of the hired vehicle. We paid @ Rs 100/- per head for the return journey.

We had hired this black Scrpio, Tats already on board.

Shree Guru Datta Bhagavan.

Shri Ganesh on the left and Shri Hanuman on the right

Shri Datta Mandir at Kala Dungar.The 400-year-old Dattatreya temple.

According to legend, when Dattatreya was roaming the earth, he stopped near Kala Dungar, and there he saw a herd of hungry foxes. He gave a part of his body to the foxes to eat and after the foxes ate it, Dattatreya's limbs started growing again. Due to this, for the last 400 years, the temple priest has been offering cooked rice to the foxes after the evening aarti.

Kala Dungar View from Shri Datta Mandir.

Kalo Dungar highest point in Kutch at 458 meters above the Rann and 462 meters AMSL.

On the way to the sunset viewpoint.

Kala Dungar, information board in Gujrati.

Translation of the text is given below:-

Kala Dungar The highest peak of Kutch at 458 meters height.

Kala Dungar is famous for the 400-year-old Dattatreya temple. According to legend, when Dattatreya was roaming the earth, he stopped near Kala Dungar and there he saw a herd of hungry foxes. He gave a part of his body to the foxes to eat and after the foxes ate it, Dattatreya's limbs started growing again. Due to this, for the last 400 years, the temple priest has been offering cooked rice to the elephants after the evening aarti. Forest Kutch (East) Division, Bhuj

Panoramic view from Kala Dungar, from different angles.

Panoramic view from Kala Dungar, from a different angle

Panoramic view of Wet Lands, mud flats and Rann of Kutch Lake, around Kala Dungar.

Panoramic view of Wet Lands, mud flats and Rann of Kutch Lake around Kala Dungar.

Forward most Border post of the BSF, a human temple and other points of interest can be seen with binoculars. Renting out these binoculars provides a source of income to a large number of people, mostly young boys.