Gulmarg, Jan 9:
Famous tourist destination Gulmarg, which is generally snow-covered at this time of the year, is “dry and
bleached”, bereft of any snow, leaving the tourists and people upset.
Although Kashmir is almost halfway through its harshest 40-day winter period, “Chilla-i-Kalan”, no snow
can bee seen on the Himalayan peaks and vast meadows dotted with pine trees and blue lakes.
Popular tourist destination Gulmarg, which is generally snow-covered at this time of the year, is “dry and
bleached”, bereft of any snow, leaving the tourists and people upset.
Ecologists as well as those who depend on tourism for survival and livelihood have expressed concern
over the prolonged dry spell. Tourism stakeholders have expressed desire for the “much-needed
snowfall” soon, hoping for a surge in tourists in February.
“There is no snow anywhere in Gulmarg bowl. The slopes of the meadow appear barren. The situation is
the same across the Valley. The resorts in Europe are facing the same fate,” said Javaid ur Rehman,
assistant director of tourism in Gulmarg.
“Although the tourism is not yet affected, it is definitely going to have an impact in the coming days.
There will be cancellations if the dry spell persists,” he added.
Gulmarg, which literally translates the meadow of flowers, is an icon of Kashmir tourism. Located close to
the Line of Control in the Pir Panjal mountain range in the western Himalayas, it is a cup-shaped valley
with virgin peaks, dry curry powder snow and vast meadows. In 2023, over 1.65 million tourists visited
the meadow, the highest footfall.
