With peace returning to the Kashmir Valley, a large number of local residents and tourists from different parts of the country and abroad are able to relax at public places till late in the evening.
By Parvez Butt
Srinagar, Aug.2 : With peace returning to the Kashmir Valley, a large number of local residents and tourists from different parts of the country and abroad are able to relax at public places till late in the evening.
Known for its idyllic stillness and surrounded by Himalayan mountains, the Dal Lake is buzzing with activities, with hordes of visitors hanging out and enjoying boat rides in Shikaras here.
Be it late night musical shows or other entertainment programmes and especially the Kashmiri cuisines are favourites among the visitors now a days.
Orion, a French tourist, said: "It is very nice at night at Dal Lake; there are lot of people and lot of restaurants. You can enjoy rides on Shikaras in the lake. It is very romantic. We can enjoy drinks and have tea."
The State tourism department has developed a "Zabarwan Park" on the banks of Dal Lake to promote nightlife in the Valley for both tourists as well as the locals here.
The park has an art gallery, giving a peep into Kashmir's ethnic culture, a food joint offering traditional cuisines and a music corner and the response has been encouraging.
Tikkas and Kashmiri cuisine is served in the park and tourists are enjoying the change in Kashmir's lifestyle.
With late night traditional musical shows and other entertaining programs the park attracts tourists and the locals also. The park closes nearly about midnight.
Till mid night, tourists continue to enjoy display of Kashmir's cultural heritage there.
Zahida, a tourist officer, said: "We are getting very good response and feeling encouraged. I think this is for the first time that we are taking our evening activities till 10:30 pm, which could not be imagined earlier. We are really happy."
Despite sporadic attacks by militants, there is no palpable fear amongst large number visitors as a large number of people are thronging Zabarwan Park on the banks of Dal Lake. .
Bindu Gupta, a tourist from Bihar, said: "Night life is good and particularly at Dal Lake. It is safe like we enjoy nightlife in Bihar. We had heard of Lal Chowk but it was also normal, as we visited the place yesterday."
But the relative peace has not helped to draw more tourists to the State. The number of tourists fell by 39 per cent between January and April, compared to the corresponding period last year. It was the second year of decline.
Tourism operators say, the drop was due to militant attacks last year that killed about a dozen local tourists and wounded scores. They fear the latest attack on tourists could further dampen the flow of visitors to the valley.
ANI