Winter activity

Normally winters to us mean sloth and inactivity. We have educational institutions closed, we have construction works stopped, we have outings dropped from our plans. We even have a Darbar Move, which means many governmental activities shift to the summer capital, Jammu. This way Kashmir is emptied of many things once the winters set in. As if ours is the only place where there is a snowfall and temperatures go below zero. Had it not been for routine market activities, and the government offices that don’t go for any vacations, this place would come across as almost dead, drained of any human activity. Can this change?

Of course it can, and we have examples all around the globe. Europe witnesses snowfall, but life moves on. Many areas in the US have a heavy snowfall but the pace of life isn’t impacted. Can we learn from such places and draw our winters accordingly. The first thing we need to understand, and this should be at both the levels – government and society – that a purpose driven addition to our infrastructure and amenities can change a lot.

If we have a good winter sports infrastructure in place our youth can utilise these months to the hilt. We often emphasise on winter sports in the backdrop of winter tourism. What that means, almost invariably, is that the people from outside would come and enjoy the slopes of Gulmarg. That fetches us some revenue as hotels get bookings and the associated people get some economic engagement. While that is an area we should always focus on, but why miss a broader area. If the usual tourist places can be geared up for some kind of winter activities and it is made affordable for local people, how much of an activity would it generate. Unfortunately, we never place the local population in the frame when we talk of winter tourism and winter sports. That is something that hurts us in the long run. If there is a shift in our attitude, and if government becomes a facilitator in this, our winters can become economically and socially more rewarding.