The Hindu Business Line : After many years, tourists throng Kashmir again

The Dal Lake region itself presents an unbelievable sight, swarming as it is with people. There is obviously a relaxed atmosphere in Srinagar and it seems as though the rest of India is discovering the beauty of the Kashmir valley all over again.

Israeli couple Yovanne and his girl friend, who are holidaying in Srinagar, beat the heat by taking a swim in the Dal Lake on Monday.

SRINAGAR, June 23

YOVANNE and his girlfriend have just finished a gruelling and compulsory three-year stint with the Israeli army. He trained himself as a soldier and she worked in the computers wing. They deserved a break and decided to give themselves that break in Srinagar.

They have been staying in a houseboat for the last 10 days, paying a ridiculously low daily rent of Rs 400, and he says with a smile, "Like Indians, we have also learnt to bargain well."

It is obvious that the two are having the time of their lives. They are finding the June heat in the valley too much to bear, as the temperatures are hovering around 33 degree Celsius. So on Sunday evening, while other tourists as well as locals were content to take a ride in the shikaras and boats on the Dal Lake, the duo beat the heat by diving straight into the cool waters of the lake!

On Sunday it was impossible to find a seat in any of the five daily flights from Delhi to Srinagar. They were all choc-a-bloc. Along with ordinary tourists, our MPs had also decided to make Srinagar their destination. While a delegation of female MPs, who were here to look at the status of the women in Jammu and Kashmir, left the Capital on Sunday, a fresh batch packed our flight - IC 825 on the same day. But of course that was the Business Class. The rear end of the aircraft was packed with holidaymakers. Geeta Singh is an engineering student from Delhi and her family decided to use the LTA of her father, a manager in IPCL, to enjoy a 10-day holiday in Kashmir.

"Actually there are 15 of us," she beams as young kids run up and down the aisle, "and we are going to Pahelgam and Gulmarg too." Predictably, they are all booked to stay in houseboats, which are going cheap, desperate for some business.

Says Mohammed Hussain, the owner of a houseboat on Dal Lake. "What should normally cost Rs 1,500 a day, we are giving out at Rs 750, but we are not complaining as tourists have returned to Srinagar after many years." So both `Queen Elizabeth' and `White House' are available for Rs 750 a day.

Two CRPF men are listening to our conversation without a frown and with a half smile - a rarity in Srinagar where men in uniform look tense all the time and have little time or inclination for small talk, leave alone smiles. They pitch in to say that though they have been posted to the lake to keep a watchful eye on things and people, "we are much more relaxed than we have been in recent times. Oh yes, tourism has returned to Kashmir." In some of the shikaras, we see men in uniform accompanied by their families.

Amit Amla, partner of Hotel Broadway where we are staying, is also all smiles too. "Yesterday we were full and today also we're not doing too badly," he says, as one spots a couple of western guests in the hotel, heading straight for the bar! "And most our bookings are from travel agents in Mumbai and Ahmedabad."

Trust the good old Gujaratis to spend the money that they make! So what has changed in Kashmir to bring the tourists back? Several things. First of all the Mufti Government has managed to give the impression that administration is back on the rails and an attempt is being made to address the grievances of the people. Two, the Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee's visit to Srinagar and announcement from here that he was once again ready to walk the peace road with Pakistan and discuss the Kashmir issue with our belligerent neighbour.

On whether the tourists will continue to come in... or rather, whether the conditions for tourism will continue to be favourable, M.Y.Tarigami, CPM MLA and leader of the 11-member People's Democratic Forum, J&K, says, "I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

The mood of the people here is good. There is so much of enthusiasm to receive the tourists. In places such as Pahelgam and Gulmarg you can barely get a room. This is a message to our friends. The militants... please see the mood of the people. Whosoever comes, he comes as a tourist and not as a politician... so my appeal to these youth, and those who support them, is that please take note of the desire of the people here to receive tourists for their own livelihood. A tourist is a guest and Kashmiris are known for their hospitality. Just look at the shikareywallahs... they are so happy at getting some income after so many years. Don't do anything to deny them that."

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication

Stories in this Section
Monsoon scene in Sunderbans

A fluid knot

Chalachitra Academy film fest

After many years, tourists throng Kashmir again