By IANS,
Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir) : Attracted by facilities for winter sports like ice skating, ice hockey and snow rugby, over 2,000 tourists have descended on Jammu and Kashmir’s Gulmarg town where a two-day “snow carnival” began Tuesday.
Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora declared open the festival, which has drawn as many as 200 visitors from foreign countries.
“We have many events like ice skating, ice hockey, snow rugby, snow cycling, snow bike racing and martial arts on the schedule,” said Shabir Ahmad, an official of the tourism department here.
“The aim is to attract more and more participants for winter sports as well as the tourists for whom Gulmarg has always been a dream winter destination,” he added.
Besides the sporting events, many cultural programmes are being held to entertain the tourists.
“There always is more than two-feet-deep snow on the ground. Today’s fresh morning snowfall has given a magic touch to our vacation,” said Sunil Kumar, 45, who had come with his family to enjoy the snow carnival.