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The main highway and
broad-gauge train wind in tandem east from Jaisalmer across the desert,
separating at the small junction settlement of Phalodi, almost exactly midway
between Jaisalmer and Bikaner. This scruffy salt-extraction colony would be
entirely forgettable were it not the jumping-off place for one of Rajasthan's
most beautiful natural sights.
Sheltered by a swathe of soft yellow dunes, the village of Keechen , 4km further
east on the opposite side of the main road, hosts a 7000-strong flock of
demoiselle cranes (Anthropoides virgo), who migrate here each winter from their
breeding grounds on the Central Asian steppes.
Known locally as kurja , the birds are encouraged to return by the villagers,
who scatter specially donated grain for them to feed on twice each day - a
custom which has persisted for 150 years or more. At feeding times (6.30am &
3.30-4pm), the flock descends en masse on a football-pitch-sized patch of level
ground just outside the village, where you can watch and photograph them at
close quarters.
Should you arrive in the middle of the day, head into the nearby dunes, being
careful not to scare the birds, or pick your way north through the village to
the small reservoir where thousands of cranes congregate between feeds. Watching
them circle in noisy, undulating formations overhead, or stepping gingerly
across the sands, has to be one of the great spectacles of the Thar region, and
you shouldn't miss the chance to call here if you're passing.
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From Phalodi, the best
way to get to Keechen is to rent a bicycle from one of the stalls near the bus
stand - a pleasant, mostly flat four-kilometer ride on well-surfaced roads.
Alternatively, jump in a Jeep for Rs100; Ambassador taxis queue outside the
railway station. If you want to store gear while you're crane-watching, ask at
the Hotel Chetnya Palace (phone02925/23945; Rs100-400), next to the bus stand,
which has left-luggage lockers in a rear-side dorm.
The Rs25 fee will entitle you to a bed in the same room, but they also have more
comfortable en-suite rooms for Rs150-300, the pricier ones with air coolers. The
hotel's bright, clean restaurant at the front of the building is the most
hygienic place in town to eat, serving inexpensive parathas and rice-plate
vegetarian meals to order, as well as the usual hot and cold drinks. If you're
only stopping for a couple of hours en route to or from Jaisalmer, check bus
times before you head off to Keechen, as services can be sporadic.
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