Page 34 - Seniors Today - December 2024
P. 34
Travel
Winter
Magic
Kashmir beckons the tourist in everyone, writes Malti Gaekwad
Kashmir has always been a hot destination being lit under trucks and buses to melt the
for tourists. In earlier days, Indians thought diesel. Water in the pipelines also used to
of Kashmir as an ideal destination for their freeze. There were times when the upper
summer vacation. Only few foreigners layer of the lakes got frozen so hard that
would dare to come during winter to ski people would walk across the lakes! “
at Gulmarg during their Christmas/ New Things are very different now. Attribute
Year breaks. Times have changed quite it to global warming, abrogation of Article
drastically. 370 (from the safety point of view) or the
I remember my father wrote in an article constantly developing facilities, better travel
some 20 years ago ...”Due to the cold climate, options and ….. The travel bug has bitten our
life in Kashmir almost comes to a standstill. countrymen especially after COVID.
Those holding government jobs shift to Due to the overall rise in temperature
Jammu with their families for 6 months. it doesn’t get that deadly cold. Even if it
Schools remain closed for three months does, the cold spell doesn’t last too long.
and tourist arrivals are scarce. There isn’t The lowest temperature ever recorded in
much activity in the valley. There is enough Srinagar was -14.4 Degree C in 1893. But
snowfall to cut off Srinagar from the rest of in recent years it usually hovers between
the country as the highway remains closed minus -4 to -6 Degree C, for a couple of days.
off and on. Anti-freeze mixtures were used The first snowfall of the season calls for
in motor vehicles to ensure engines do not celebration. Friends and relatives greet each
get damaged. It was common to see fire other with Nau Sheen Mubarak. Usually
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