WINTER’S SURPRISE | Sinthan Top steals spotlight as Gulmarg stays snowless

Anantnag, Jan 18: Meandering through lush green forests dotted with hundreds of lofty pine trees, a sinuous road in the Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district leads to Sinthan Top.

The awe-inspiring mountain pass carpeted with a thick film of snow has emerged as a most sought-after tourist destination after the famous tourist hotspots did not receive snow amidst an unprecedented dry spell this year.

The tourists, mostly from different states, made a beeline for the Sinthan Top as soon as they learnt that the spell-casting pass was draped in a white blanket.

Since Thursday morning, a stream of cabs ferrying tourists could be seen travelling along the serpentine road to Sinthan Top, leaving behind the hairpin bends.

An official said that at least 136 tourists showed up in the area on Thursday.

Muffled up in woollens, the tourists could be seen clicking pictures and playing with snow in the area.

“It is the first time that I am in Kashmir. We are happy to finally see some snow here,” said a tourist from Uttar Pradesh.

He said that they showed up here after they learnt that Gulmarg had not received any snow.

Another tourist couple said that after reaching Sinthan Top, they felt they were in Kashmir.

During the winter, tourists mainly visit coveted tourist spots like Gulmarg and Pahalgam to enjoy snow and participate in winter games.

However, this year the absence of snowfall prompted by a long-drawn dry spell dissuaded tourists from visiting the well-known tourist hotspots.

The barren ski slopes in Gulmarg spurred the ski lovers to call off their ski touring.

However, the skies over Sinthan Top have turned sullen many times since last November and the place received multiple spells of snow.

Even on Wednesday night, the area witnessed a good snowfall.

Tehsildar Larnoo, Syed Muiz Qadri told Greater Kashmir that around 12 inches of snow had accumulated in the area from the Anantnag side.

“It may be more at several places from the Kishtwar side,” Qadri said.

Located at an elevation of 12,500 feet, the mountain pass links south Kashmir’s Anantnag district with Chenab Valley’s Kishtwar district.

Qadri said that the area was fast emerging as another major tourist attraction in the district.

He said that around 350 tourists have visited the place since the beginning of this week.

The area is fast emerging as a major attraction for both domestic and foreign tourists.

Last year, according to official data, a total of 1,46,830 travellers visited the area.

Of them, 28 were foreigners, 34,990 were from the outstation states, and 1,11,812 were locals.