Gulmarg.

Gulmarg is a Skiing Paradise of Kashmir spread over ___ sq kms situated an altitude of 9000 feet above sea levels is one of the finest ski resorts in the world and the best in India. It boasts o snow white mountains suitable for skiing both for beginners to Intermediate to Advanced level of Skiing. The Skiing season starts from last week of December to April. The Ski slopes are various gradients from 10 degrees to 50 degrees. The snow is Dry white powder the best for skiing. Beginners can ski in Gulmarg which itself boasts of some very good Ski slopes supported by T-Bar Ski lifts, the more adventuress can take a Gondola ride to Kongdori situated at an altitude of 11000 feet and the ski run of 3 kms thru the trees is one of the ski runs a skier can dream off the more adventures can take the Gondola ride further up to Afarwat mountain situated at an altitude of 13500 feet with slope having gradient of up to 50 degrees with soft snow terrainis a delight for an advanced avid skierand very well fancied by the foreigners who come in large numbers to Ski resort of Gulmarg. With effect from January 2012 Gulmarg Ski resort boasts of a chair lift from Kongdori to merry shoulder situated at altitude of 12500 with slope gradient of 45 degrees is an added attraction. It is very rare to find a ski slope starting from 13500 down to 9000 feet at Gulmarg a drop of 4500. Heli Skiing is also a very popular sport in the mountains of Gulmarg where a skier can chart out its own terrain and explore Gulmarg like no one has ever before. Accommodation is one of the finest with Central heating in many of the hotels and Gulmarg can be reached with an hour from Srinagar Airport. Prakash Gaba CFT, MSTA (London) Technical Analyst & Trader

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KHILANMARG A path of some six kilometers and an ascent of some six hundred meters from Gulmarg will take you to the flower-strewn little highland dale of Khilanmarg. The narrow bridle path is lined by grassy knolls and a variety of trees and shrubs that include masses of daises, mulberry, and walnut among others. Should you prefer riding to walking, ponies may be hired for this little hike. Natures index of the air quality is also there in the numerous lichens that may be found on the rocks and trees these only grow at high altitudes with negligible carbon gases and which are rich (despite the height) in oxygen. In winter, this path serves as a ski run. In spring, with the thaw, this track is like a little mountain torrent of melting snow with squelchy patches of mud that seem to be preparing the soil for the burst of life and the fresh

green that will soon follow. While the ascent is focused on the path ahead, once you are at the top and on a clear day an absolutely magnificent vista unfolds. Clearly visible is the western marker of the Himalayan chain, the Nanga Parbat (the eastern end of these magnificent mountains is the Namche Barwa peak in Myanmar). At 8,126 meters (26,660 feet), the Nanga Parbat is one of the highest mountains on earth and was first climbed by Hermann Buhl in July 1953. This immense mass of rock rises dramatically from the surrounding areas and lies just south of the river Indus. The Great Himalayan Axis runs southeast from the Nanga Parbat to the twin peaks of Nun Nun (7,135 meters/ 23,408.7 feet) and Kun (7,077 meters/ 23,218.5 feet). This axial range marks the northern boundary of Kashmir. Between the Nun and Kun, there is a high snow covered plateau that ends in a icefall and tapers down to become a branch of the Parchik glacier. The first attempt to climb the Kun was made by the Italian, Count Piacenza in 1913; the Nun was climbed in 1934 by J. Waller. GONDOLA In 1987 work on the gondola car of Gulmarg began. After some delay, the first phase was completed in May 1998 and today, this is one of the main attractions of the place. The first of two sections of the cable car rises from the cable station at Gulmarg at an attitude of 2699.6 meters (8856.9 feet) to Kongdori at an altitude of 3099.6 meters (10169.2 feet) a vertical rise of 400 meters (1312.3 feet) and length of over four kilometers. The system can transport up to 1500 persons per hour. The boarding station at Gulmarg has a small park and a restaurant. It is a thoroughly enjoyable experience taking the ten minute ride up to Kongdori. The movement is smooth and there is just a little jerk and tug when the cable car goes by one of the towers. At this raised vantage position and with the easy movement, the view all around can be enjoyed to its fullest. The first section of the trip goes through tall fir trees and then the landscape opens quite dramatically. Below are the grassy slopes speckled with wildflowers or with snow in winter. There are smatterings of the huts used by migrant shepherds. At Kongdori, depending on the time of year, you will step out of the cable station on soft green turf or into knee-high snow. If there is no haze or cloud, the view is absolutely magnificent. You can see the towering Nanga Parbat, the western extremity of the Himalayan chain and if you are interested, a local should be able to point out the direction of the Line of Control, the de facto border between India and Pakistan. Below Kongdori, the valley flows out in a steadiness that one would associate more with water than with land. The snow peaks seem close enough to touch and this rich serving of natures bounty seems more than can be digested in a single visit. The second stage of the Gulmarg- Apharwat cable car project was completed in May, 2005 and the builders were the same as the first phase, the French firm, Pomagalski (popularly called Poma - the gondola car is sometimes referred to as 'the Poma') and their Indian associates. This stretch connects Kongdori station at 3,099 meters (10167.3 feet) with the heights of Apharwat at 3,979 meters (13054.4 feet) Apharwat is the mountain that looms over Gulmarg and is the magnet for serious skiers. With the second stretch, this cable car system has become one of the longest and highest gondola projects in the world. The vertical rise between Kongdori and Apharwat is 880 meters (2887.1 feet) and this stretch is somewhat longer than the first one, and covers over five kilometers. While Kongdori is accessible by a well marked and well trodden trail that is used by both hikers and may also be done on

pony-back, the climb to Apharwat would demand for stouter legs and considerably greater stamina. This leg of the cable-car is perhaps the best (maybe, the only) way for someone unused to mountains to enter their very heart and if the first leg shows their softer side, then here you see their muscle and rugged grandeur. Soft grass and trees give way to rock faces. The view, not unexpectedly, from the heights of Apharwat has a greater compass than that from Kongdori. While, lower down, you may be given the direction of the Line of Control that defines the border between India and Pakistan, from here, one can supposedly see it. While the Nanga Parbat, the western extremity of the Himalayan chains looms with distant majesty, one can also deduce what may be the peak, K-2. In winter, the second stage is what becomes the real focus of the cable car and is used by experienced and serious skiers to reach the top for the phenomenal run over fine powder as the snow is referred to. SKIING and SNOW BOARD For sheer thrills, few sports can match the excitement that skiing or snowboarding can generate. From high on top of a snow-covered hill, with a magnificent view all around and a deep blue sky above you, you move down the slopes or negotiate dips, bowls and rises. Depending on the level of skill, you would be moving down a mild incline or something that seems like a sheer wall of snow. It is a heady feeling as you race down with the icy wind slapping your face and when mind and muscle are working in perfect tandem. It the quality and the quantity of powder snow that has made Gulmarg an attractive international ski destination which now draws a sizable number of serious skiers from different parts of the world. This aspect to Gulmargs skiing repertoire was added when the gondola car became operational and was able to carry skiers and snow-boarders to Kongdori and then to the heights of Mt. Apharwat. Heli-skiing is also being mooted. Historically, skiing began in Gulmarg in the nineteen-twenties when two British army officers established the Ski Club of India at Gulmarg with Mr. Pestonjee as its Secretary. The first ski hut was also built then. Over the following years, winter and skiing at Gulmarg became synonymous with several British officers posted in India and their families. The two events that locked-in the two ends of the season were held around Christmas and the other, around Easter. By the nineteen-thirties several hundred skiers and others had started visiting Gulmarg. At that time, it was the slope up to Khilanmarg that was the most popular run. After 1947, skiing practically came to a standstill and was revived in fits and starts by starting a ski-school and the installation of a chair-lift. Today, Gulmarg is steadily coming into its own as a ski-resort. Several Indian and foreign operators offer the sport with skilled instructors. The levels you can take are beginners, intermediate, advanced and professional. For the last, you would have to be skier of considerable experience. GOLF One of the oldest golf clubs in the country, the Gulmarg Golf Club also has the distinction of being one of the (if not the), highest in the world. This is an 18 hole, par 72 course with a yardage of 6,985. The club was started in the early twentieth century by the numerous British officers who holidayed in Gulmarg. In the nineteen-twenties, there were supposedly three different courses; there were two eighteen-hole courses, the Upper Course and the Lower Course. There was one nine-hole Middle Course that was rather disparagingly called the Rabbits Course or the Rabbit Run or even, the Rabbit

Warren. After 1947 and the departure of the British, the courses fell into disuse and saw a revival only in the nineteen-fifties. Today, of the three old ones, the only course to survive is what approximates to the old Upper Course. This was redesigned in the nineteen-seventies by the Australian golf champion, Peter Thomson who has also designed several courses in Australia and is a well-known golf writer. This now has pre-defined rivulets, streams and ponds. This also has what is believed to be India's longest hole, which is a par five, at 610 yards. The Gulmarg course has one substantial advantage over others and this is the pleasant climate and the cool breeze that allow players to remain on the course for longer periods of time. This also permits them to select their time of day without being constrained by midday heat. The height of Gulmarg and lower air-density also alters the way the ball behaves and it can seem lighter to a golfer used to playing at lower altitudes. The long winter months, when the turf remains buried under several feet of snow and the prolonged dormancy this necessitates gives it a natural springiness and bounce. The course, which doubles over as training ground for amateur skiers in winter, has a putting green and a driving range too. Casual players are welcomed who can use the facilities by paying a daily or weekly green fee or by taking a short-term membership. ALPATHER LAKE Some thirteen kilometers from Gulmarg, at an altitude of around 3,840 meters is the little lake of Alpather. Like many other high-altitude lakes in the mountainous parts of the western Himalaya, this lies in a shallow mountain bowl and is surrounded by limited plant growth and a substantial amount of scree. A well marked path from Gulmarg reaches the lake which lies at the base of the Apharwat Mountain. Not unexpectedly, the lake freezes over fairly early in winter and remains under a sheet of ice till the late-summer thaw in June-July. Even then, this triangle-shaped water body holds chunks of ice that that resemble a shattered windscreen. In the silence, you can occasionally hear the ice cracking in the warm sunshine of summer. Interesting, and unusually for high altitude lakes, at times, this has some avian life too. The trail from Gulmarg has a steady gradient as it climbs along the lower slopes of the Apharwat and the ridges that separate this attractive pocket of Kashmir, with another equally attractive one, Khilanmarg. As the path climbs higher, the terrain also alters. The lushness of the grass and the tall trees give way to a more barren landscape that is strewn with large and small boulders. The long narrow meadows that lead up to the lake are popularly called the Alpather meadows and the track through them, again depending on the time of year, can be through wildflowers or through deep snow. As this is one of the most popular day excursions from Gulmarg, some sort of facilities are also available. Almost every hotel arranges the excursion up to the lake and ponies are available on hire along with guides and attendants. Expectedly, en route, the view is magnificent and whether you choose to walk or ride up to this little water-body, this is one of the finest spots of communing with nature at Gulmarg. RELIGIOUS SHRINES There are four main religious shrines in and around Gulmarg. A few kilometers from this glade, is the tomb and shrine, Ziarat, of the noted Muslim saint Baba Reshi. Its tall spire gives it visibility for all the thousands of worshippers of all religions that come here every year. Baba Reshi was a courtier to the king, Zain ul Abidin and became a disciple of the well known mystic, Sheikh Noor-ud-din Noorani which was

when he renounced his worldly ties. Built in 1480, the Zirat is supposed to be on the spot where Baba Reshi passed away and where he is buried. More popularly known as the Maharani temple or the Rani temple, the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva lies on a small hillock in the middle of Gulmarg and expectedly, this is visible from practically every corner of this little resort town. The temple was built at the instance of Mohini Bai Sisodia, wife of the erstwhile ruler of Jammu and Kashmir, Hari Singh; another name given to the temple, after the queen, is Mohineshwar Shivalalaya. Tradition has it that the queen who spent long periods at Gulmarg would spend a substantial time of day praying at this temple. The temple also has a striking image of Lord Shivas consort, Parvati. Almost as if it were taking a cue from the varied religious places at Gulmarg, there is the old St. Marys Church that was built by the British holiday-makers who spent long periods at this sylvan spot. Evocative of a small country-side chapel in the English downs, this still draws visitors and a few regular worshippers. Also in Gulmarg's vicinity is the Avantiswami temple that dates back to the ninth century and is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
Things to do courtesy yatra.com

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