Christmas, Chillai Kalan festival light up Gulmarg despite no snow

Gulmarg, Dec 24: Despite the absence of snow this year, the picturesque Gulmarg in north Kashmir's Baramulla district remains vibrant and festive for the tourists.

On Tuesday, the famous ski resort witnessed the celebration of the Chillai Kalan festival organised jointly by the district administration and the Army.

The celebrations of Christmas also began at the Saint Mary’s Church.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Chillai Kalan festival, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Baramulla Minga Sherpa said the district administration had organised a festival here and the basic aim was to make Gulmarg a vibrant destination this winter.

“Gulmarg is a winter wonderland. Skiing and many other activities are held here. It is a vibrant cultural space and we organised the Chillai Kalan festival,” Sherpa said.

He said that the district administration was also geared up for Christmas to be celebrated on December 25.

“Every year on December 31, New Year's Eve is celebrated here. Our district administration aims to keep organising such activities so that tourists and locals engage and we can provide them with new activities so that they can come and enjoy themselves,” the DC Baramulla said.

With regard to the Christmas celebrations, he said that the Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir, organised a cake-cutting competition while illumination in bowls was also done.

“On December 31, we have a mega New Year's Eve festival in which multiple singers will come and perform here at Gulmarg Club. We aim to keep organising such activities so that people engage in winter, especially in the natural beauty of Gulmarg,” he said.

During the Chillai Kalan festival, the audience witnessed an array of performances, highlighting Kashmiri culture, art, and heritage.

The festival was inaugurated by DC Baramulla Minga Sherpa along with the Commander of 19 Artillery Brigade, Commander Rajat Mohan Bhatt in the presence of the officers from civil administration and the Army.

During the event, the students from various nearby schools showcased their talent while performing on stage.

Different stalls were set up by various government departments, private vendors, and local artisans as well, highlighting a variety of Kashmiri arts, crafts, and other traditional items.

Meanwhile, the Christians who assembled at Saint Mary's Church said that they celebrate their festival in Gulmarg with utmost satisfaction and security.

“We come to Gulmarg every year on December 24 to celebrate Christmas. All the facilities and arrangements are made by the administration. We feel comfortable here with the way we are being welcomed here. We celebrate Christmas with everyone here,” said one of the members of the Christian community who joined the celebrations.

Director Tourism, Kashmir, Raja Yaqoob Farooq said that as per the routine, the directorate along with district administration organises a programme at Saint Mary’s Church to celebrate Christmas.

“Saint Mary’s Church has an important significance and a close connection with the Kashmiri culture. It is an important religious place here. We celebrate Christmas here with our Christian brethren,” Farooq said.

Tourist footfall
crosses 30 lakh mark, 43,000 foreigners

The Director Tourism, Kashmir, said that as per the calendar from January to December, the footfall of tourists was touching the 30 lakh mark.

“The footfall of foreign tourists increased this year compared to last year. This year we received around 43,000 foreign tourists till December 20 compared to last year’s figure of 37,000 foreign tourists,” the Director Tourism, Kashmir, said.

He said that in the last four days, around 1000 tourists arrived in Kashmir.

“During the last four to five years, the tourism sector got immense publicity and holding a G20 meeting added to it as well,” Farooq said.