Aharbal (Kulgam), Feb 17: Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police South Kashmir Range (SKR), Rayees Mohammad Bhat has urged the local YouTubers and social media enthusiasts to promote the beauty of Aharbal and explore other untapped locations of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
Citing the example of a group of social media influencers from central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district who are producing videos and reels on Instagram showcasing various untapped destinations in their region, the senior police officer said the youngsters in Kulgam should follow the suit and promote other undiscovered beautiful locations in the district.
“The youth of Kangan promoted the tourism locations in Ganderbal so vigorously that our colleagues and batch mates who live in other states were fascinated by the beauty and called us to confirm those destinations,” he said while addressing the people at the two-day Aharbal Winter Festival organised by the district administration and tourism department.
“The media can also help, and together we can make Aharbal a popular tourist destination with full accessibility,” he added.
During the festival, many other officials also encouraged the content creators to produce reels and videos showcasing the scenic landscapes and cultural heritage of the area.
They said the promotion of lesser-known destinations will help diversify and promote the tourism industry in Kulgam.
The Aharbal Winter Festival saw the participation of hundreds of young boys and girls in various sporting activities.
Aiman Jan, a student from Yaripora’s Girls Higher Secondary School, who took part in snow Rugby, told Rising Kashmir that “it was exciting and interesting to play any game on a snow-covered field”.
“The festival has increased the popularity of this place, and many individuals, including me. It was my first time to be here in winter,” she added.
Another athlete said the winter festival has further promoted the location. “It is an amazing place,” she said, adding that the district administration, Youth Services and Sports are working hard.
A trekker Mohammad Ishaq said that going amid the massive layers of snow gave them a lot of pleasure. “There are several untouched virgin meadows in the region,” he said, adding that there are around four feet of snow in Chiranbal meadow.
“We had Kehwa and other stuff with us, and the forest department personnel helped us a lot in the journey. Many other trekkers had registered with the administration,” Ishaq said.
He said the unexplored sites in Kulgam like Alpine lakes and meadows must be explored and promoted so that the district emerges as a tourism hotspot.
The trekkers who were waved off by officials for Chiranbal and Sangam meadows also returned safely, concluding the winter festival on Friday.
