Gulmarg, Feb 5 : Tourists are thronging Gulmarg in Jammu and Kashmir state to take part in the annual Snow Festival.
The Snow Festival involving a number of events like snow cycling, ice hockey and snow rugby kick-started on Tuesday.
The festival was inaugurated by Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Minister Nawan Rigzin Jora.
"As far as the games are concerned, there are plenty of games like ice skating, ice hockey, rugby, cycling and other small events. The motto of the festival is to tell people that Gulmarg has a good snowfall," said Shabir Ahmed, co-ordinator, Snow Festival.
The tourists from various parts of India have arrived in Gulmarg to participate in snow sports.
Tourists from the plains are thrilled to see the snowfall, some of them experiencing it for the first time.
"We are feeling very nice. We have a very good infrastructure. There is plenty of snowfall too," said Reyaz Ahmed, a participant in event of snow cycling.
The Snow Festival that was earlier scheduled to be held during the Christmas vacation was postponed on account of the elections to the State legislature.
Meanwhile, the officials of Jammu and Kashmir Tourism have planned special campaigns to promote Gulmarg as a global winter tourism destination.
Gulmarg, a bowl shaped plateau at an altitude of 8,500 ft in Pir Panjal of the Himalayan range is a favourite destination for tourists to participate in winter sports. By Fayaz
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