KUTCHI MEMORY

“I think that to be truly Kutchi, one must have the in-built ability to “never forget” and exercise it in a manner that does not collide with everyday reality but become comfortably a part of it. It doesn’t seem to matter that one hasn’t ‘learnt’ from the past so to say. It matters that the past is part of one’s life. Acknowledged as having occurred. This is why stories and legends, personal and collective, still abound. They all create the tapestry, which is Kutch. The Kutchi feels an intrinsic part of this tapestry.

Interestingly, this tapestry comes alive and is relevant in the context of the land itself. A Kutchi who has no connection with the land itself isn’t regarded a Kutchi anymore. Even though Kutch produced great mariners and trade carried many to far away ports, their connection with their own land was retained. This spirit of connectedness persists to the present.