Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir), Situated at an altitude of 8,700 feet, this tourist destination of Kashmir is all braced up for a three-day snow festival beginning Monday.

Presently, there is two-feet deep snow in the upper reaches and a few inches of snow cover the vast expanse of this meadow.

"Gulmarg is ideally a winter destination. With immense possibilities for the winter sports lovers, the real magic of this place comes to life when everything is covered by a thick blanket of snow," said Farooq Shah, director of the state tourism department.

Gulmarg snow festival was started in 2003 to promote winter sports and tourism here.

"The festival has been a great attraction ever since. Each year, we get hundreds of sports and adventure lovers, honeymoon couples and other tourists who come to experience the magic and thrill here," Shah said.

The three-day snow festival begins with Christmas mass at the old church here, which was renovated in 2003.

"We are having many events during the festival which include night skiing, ice skating, snow rugby, snow cycling, sledge racing and traditional cultural programmes.

"Gulmarg has sufficient hotel accommodation with central heating facilities. The hotels here have announced special packages to attract tourists and sports lovers during this winter," Shah said.

The five kilometre long Gondola cable car project, which ends at 13,500 feet above the sea level in Afarwat hills, is the highest cable car project in the world.

Besides this, the 8-hole golf course here is also the highest in the world.

Some of the widely remembered Bollywood blockbusters of 1960s-70s including "Junglee", "Mere Sanam" and "Andaz" were shot amid the picturesque locations here.

"Our aim is to project Gulmarg as the ultimate tourist and winter sports destination in India. The response from leaders in tour and travel industry has been encouraging," said Naeem Akhter, secretary of the state tourism department.

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