The Sanskrit word Kutch (earlier Cutch and now Kachchh) means a Tortoise. The geographical location and shape of the province also look like a tortoise in the sea, hence the name Kutch. Kutch was a relative big princely state during the British Raj. It spread from present day Kutch and had a boundary of Sindh in the North. It was one of the rare princely states to have a coastline. The state was a part of the Cutch agency, and was later shifted to the Western India States Agency as a part of the Bombay Presidency.

It was a prosperous state where its rulers had an army of 354 cavalry, 1412 infantry and 164 guns.

The history of Kutch is not only interesting but rich with several fascinating stories of invasion, wealth of remembered history and amalgamation of several cultures. It now has a unique culture, historic architecture and crafts which are an inspiration to many. This land with the Dholavira site has been a place of trade since times immemorial and has welcomed people/communities from faraway lands.

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