Grand sands (#23 in series: “The Great Indian Desert”)

 

The Thar Desert’s other name accords with reality: it is India’s biggest desert, although 15% of it is in Pakistan.

Most of it – around 60% – is in Rajasthan; the Thar Desert occupies a little more than 60% of India’s largest state, by area

According to most sources, around 40% of Rajasthan’s human population live within the Thar Desert.

Rajasthan is far from India’s most populous state, but it is currently home to more than 80 million humans.

Unsurprisingly,  the Thar Desert is “our” planet’s most densely populated desert, by a large margin.

It is also remarkably rich in wildlife.

 

 

 

 

Gazella bennettii – the chinkara, which is also known as the “Indian gazelle” – is Rajasthan’s emblematic mammal.

It has several subspecies, and its range is not confined to India, nor to Rajasthan.

(click this for an overview)

However, Rajasthan’s portion of the Thar Desert is the species’ stronghold.

It is home to the overwhelming majority of the total Chinkara population, and is the reason why its “global” conservation status remains “of least concern”; national populations in other nations  – Iran, especially – have plummeted to levels where local extinction is highly likely.

 

 

 

 

 

Even in Rajasthan – where no great skill is required to see these shy, fleet and beautiful antelopes – chinkara numbers are generally reckoned to be in decline.

For at least several centuries, one religious community in the Thar Desert has very actively sought to protect local animals and vegetation.

The Bishnoi have been “environmental activists” since long before that term existed.

They particularly revere the local antelopes; click here to discover more.

All this post’s photos were taken within a few minutes of each other, on a cool winter’s morning; a few hours later, it was definitely not cool…but still “gentle” by Thar Desert standards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In summer the Thar Desert is almost unimaginably hot; this region is a hugely rewarding destination, from both a cultural and a wildlife perspective…but only in winter.

Pelican Yoga has many Rajasthan-related posts; this link will take you to at least most of them.