Snowfall ends long dry spell, heralds the revival of festive year-end tourism in Kashmir Valley

A much-awaited spell of snowfall astatine astir fashionable tourer sites successful the Kashmir Valley connected Sunday brought cheer and joyousness to tourists arsenic good arsenic stakeholders successful the tourism sector. The bedewed upwind besides ended a prolonged and alarming adust spell successful Kashmir.

The tourism ‘golden triangle’ of Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg recorded astir 2 to 5 inches of snowfall passim Sunday (December 21, 2025). Tourists were mesmerised by a thick, achromatic broad of snow, mounting the signifier for Christmas and New Year celebrations, and wintertime sports successful the Valley.

The beautification of St. Mary’s Church successful Gulmarg, built successful 1902, is underway, officials said. Hundreds of tourists get each twelvemonth for Christmas and New Year celebrations astatine Gulmarg.

The prolonged adust spell has threatened skiing astatine Gulmarg, a favoritism earned for its Alps-like pulverization snow. “In the past fewer years, the fig of skis days astatine the wintertime destination of Gulmarg has fallen because of scant snowfall. However, the caller snowfall volition let skis enthusiasts from India and overseas to prime up the high-adrenaline athletics erstwhile again,” Khawar Javaid, a skier, said.

The Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering successful Gulmarg, has registered respective batches of skiers from crossed the state this winter. Officials successful Gulmarg expected an summation successful footfalls of overseas tourists aft snowfall.  

Jalaal Jeelani, an escapade sports enthusiast, said caller snowfall has yet graced Gulmarg and lifted spirits aft the worrying adust spell. “Winter is the backbone of escapade tourism and sustainable livelihoods. Snow is the substance that keeps hotels alive, guides and pony-men employed, the gondola rides buzzing, and section markets breathing done the harsh months,” Mr. Jeelani said, adding that snowfall successful the precocious reaches and surrounding mountains brought immense alleviation and joyousness not conscionable to Gulmarg, but to communities babelike connected tourism crossed the Kashmir Valley.

Scores of tourists were seen playing successful the snowfall and making reels for societal media platforms astatine Gulmarg’s Apharwat and Kongdori stations, astatine an altitude of astir 4,390 metres. Sonamarg besides saw enthusiastic tourists enjoying the snowfall. 

“Snowfall gives a fairyland look to the landscape. I americium witnessing snowfall for the archetypal clip and it was a memorable experience,” Kavita Sharma, a tourer from Delhi, said.

Tourism successful Kashmir took a deed successful April pursuing the panic onslaught astatine Pahalgam’s Baisaran meadow successful which 26 tourists were killed. The incidental halved the tourer footfall this twelvemonth successful Kashmir, which hosted a grounds 26 lakh tourists successful 2024. Security was upgraded astatine Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg pursuing the attack. Additional information measures were enactment successful spot aft a information audit, including much checkpoints and bunkers.

The caller snowfall successful Kashmir besides took spot connected the archetypal time of Chillai Kalan, a 40-day harsh spell of winter. The time is besides observed arsenic ‘Pheran Day’ to observe the accepted woollen robes worn by locals during winters.

Fifteen flights were cancelled owed to inclement upwind astatine the Srinagar airport. The Srinagar Meteorological Department predicted airy snowfall successful immoderate parts of the Valley connected Monday (December 22, 2025).