When we talk of extreme sports we just think of Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg etc unaware of the fact that a vast sea of adventure lies open to us within the Srinagar limits. Surprisingly snow skiing is also possible here but should someone explore the possibility of its promotion. A mountain called Mahadev, in Zabarvan range at Harwan offers great challenge for adventurers. It has the potential for skiing and snowboarding. It is now time for Srinagar Development Authority to adopt the mountain and promote adventure here. To our dismay the SDA is just concerned about raising huge buildings with no plans of making Srinagar a Green City. Srinagar does not only offer heritage, religious, conference and pleasure tourism etc but it has vast scope of hosting adventure tourism as well. The SDA may say that promoting adventure tourism is the duty of Tourism Department but like other Development Authorities they are supposed to, besides construction work, indulge in the promotion of tourism in Srinagar city.
Srinagar is walled by Zabarwan range on its eastern area. This range offers best possibilities of hosting trekking, orienteering, jungle safari, paragliding, rock-climbing and the fascinating snow skiing. Certainly, the word skiing must have surprised all of you. Yes, Mt. Mahadev remains snow bound till late May and has excellent ski runs. Notably Mahadev, 13,013 feet is the highest peak in Srinagar. Credit goes to Biscoe School for exploring this magnificent mountain nearly hundred years back for undertaking trekking by their students but unfortunately they never conceived idea of promoting skiing there. The rich Heli-skiers have been skiing in the area for long. But for the first time a local team, led by this writer undertook a ski-mountaineering expedition to Mahadev in May 1998. The team carried their skis from Harwan to Chakdara on their shoulders and there onwards they climbed the mountain with specially designed mountain skis, fitted with seal skins and crampons. The skis, fitted with Special Mountain Bindings permitted them to walk up on steep snow covered slopes. The expedition set up base camp at Lidwas and zoomed down all nearby ridges including Mahadev top. It was first attempt of its kind in Srinagar. If we really have to put Srinagar on Skiing map of India we need to install a cable car from Chakdhara to Lidwas and some poma lifts near the peak. The J&K State Cable Car Corporation must give thought to it. Surely in summer the lift would earn good revenue because everybody now desire to go deep in the city jungles to seek pleasure. I desire that every school should facilitate their students to climb Mahadev and have 360 degree panoramic view of the city. If Government has any plan to develop Srinagar Mount Mahadev must be kept in mind.
Published in Daily Greater Kashmir on 5th June, 2010
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