Bandipora, Feb 07: Breaking the silence of a prolonged dry winter, Gurez Valley of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district is once again echoing with the sounds of joy and excitement as Snow Cricket has made return.
The snow cricket in Gurez Valley gained worldwide attention when Australian batsman Marnus Labuschagne shared a video of youngsters playing cricket on his Twitter, expressing, “How good is that”, which not only lifted the spirits of the Gurez youngsters but also led to increased excitement for various sports activities, reaching their peak during the winter in Gurez Valley.
The locals of the Dawar People have set up a snow cricket tournament on a frozen snowfield, surrounded by snow-covered mountains, offering a breath-taking view.
The snow cricket on the frozen fields has gained popularity among Gurez Valley residents in recent years due to its scenic locations and stunning views.
According to a local social activist, Gurez has the potential to be a winter sports hub. However, he mentioned that there should be more push from administration side to tap into this potential.
He said that the Gurez valley remains covered in snow for approximately six months which presents a fantastic opportunity to host winter sports activities.
Another local resident said that the Gurez Valley faces a deficiency in infrastructure for hosting winter sports. However, in efforts to draw attention from both the public and higher authorities, the youth in Gurez have been consistently organizing snow cricket tournaments for several years.
He said that Gurez Valley has good potential for organizing winter games in Gurez and the intervention of government is essential to explore this opportunity as such initiatives could attract more tourists to the valley.
Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, Shakeel ul Rehman told Rising Kashmir that since the only road to Gurez remains cut off due to heavy snowfall enroute especially at Razdhan Pass, subsidized chopper services for locals and medical emergencies are already in place and augmentation of same on normal rates can be considered for tourists intending to throng Gurez valley in winters.
He said that the promotion of tourism in Gurez as well as in the whole district is the top priority of administration, and every possible effort is being taken to make Gurez a top-notch tourist destination. “Some equipment for snow skiing has already been provided by Youth Services & Sports Department for students/youth of Gurez and we are also working on other possible steps to have winter sports in Gurez at a bigger level”, he concluded.
