A MOUNTAIN town boarded up for the winter, imprisoned in its icy whiteness for months— that’s what the Kashmiri ski resort of Gulmarg resembles this season.
Kolahoi Green is a four-star hotel, just 20 metres from the Gondola cable car. The hotel was closed in August 2019 after the government asked tourists and pilgrims to leave the Valley. “We closed the hotel in August. It remained closed for five months,” says manager Hamid Masoodi. Gulmarg saw a steep fall in tourist arrivals this winter, he says. However, spring arrived suddenly, on the wings of a government-organised marquee event.
Thirty of the hotel’s 37 rooms were booked on March 7—around 900 players, over 100 journalists and scores of officials descended on Gulmarg to participate in the five-day long, first winter games chapter of Khelo India here. Despite calls from civil society to postpone it at a time when schools are closed due to the coronavirus scare, the government went against its own advisory against large gatherings. Many here see the move to hold the Khelo India event as an effort to project normality in Kashmir after the long lockdown.
Yet, the event that brought life back to Gulmarg denotes a momentary relief from the awful emptiness. Masoodi fears coronavirus would hit the beleaguered tourism sector further, wrapping Gulmarg once more in a ghostly shroud.
Denne historien er fra March 23, 2020-utgaven av Outlook.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March 23, 2020-utgaven av Outlook.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Pillars of Viksit Bharat 2024
The Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat 2047' represents a complete blueprint for the country’s prosperity during its Amrit Kaal towards attaining resolutions made for Aatmanirbhar Bharat’
Innovation in Healthcare Products
Vatsal Desai pioneering the path to healthier living in a growing India
A Master Weaver of Heart Health
In the intricate tapestry of interventional cardiology, Dr Vashisth Das stands out as a master weaver, deftly navigating the delicate threads of life and technology to mend hearts and restore hope
Viksit Bharat 2047: Empowering India through Education & Self-Reliance
As India approaches 2047, the centenary of its independence, the dream of a “Viksit Bharat” – a fully developed, selfsufficient, and inclusive nation – is steadily turning into reality.
Revolutionising New Age Learning
A visionary leader and an educationist par excellence, GS Patnaik shares with the Outlook Group his approach towards driving Value-based and holistic learning initiatives
Pioneering Social Transformation
Achyuta Samanta dedicated to bringing about social change through education and social services for people at the grassroots level
A Vision for Developed India
The concept of Viksit Bharat” Developed India) embodies the aspiration for a prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable India. The framework for achieving this ambitious but achievable goal, in my opinion, can be articulated through some key pillars that serve as the foundation for national progress
Chasing Dreams Relentlessly
For the young and aspiring youth, Manu Bhaker is a fine example of how hard work and perseverance can help achieve set targets
Standing Tall as a Pillar in Healthcare Sector
As technology is advancing and there is an upsurge in medical sciences, Yashoda Hospital is keeping up to its promise of providing top tier healthcare services using specialised and advanced medical technologies and equipment.
Upholding/Strengthening India's 'Viksit Bharat' Dreams
Landmark Crafts Pvt. Ltd., Ghaziabad, Delhi-NCR, is a flourishing enterprise where necessity, keen identification of agap and the right timing of launching HP Self-Drilling Screws in 1995, backed by grit, is a perfect recipe of a success story that pioneered an industry. Mr Pankaj Lidoo and MrVipin Lidoo, Directors of the company, hailing from Kashmir, have set their target to achieve India's dream of a Viksit Bharat by 2047 with visionary zeal