Two terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba&nbsp;including Let Commander Saleem Parray and&nbsp;one&nbsp;foreign terrorist were killed in two operations in Srinagar city’s Shalimar area.&nbsp;

The security forces had input about the presence of terrorists in the Harwan or Shalimar area after which a search operation was launched.

The police said ''During the search operation, the search party was fired upon indiscriminately by hiding terrorist, which was effectively retaliated leading to a brief shootout and&nbsp;elimination of a dreaded terrorist Saleem Parray, linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT.''

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/jk-lg-announces-slew-of-measures-for-safety-of-pilgrims-after-stampede-at-vaishno-devi-441843" hreflang="en">J&amp;K LG announces slew of measures for safety of pilgrims after stampede</a>

After the killing of Let Terrorist in Shalimar, another operation started in the same area. The security&nbsp;forces killed another foreign terrorist in the operation. ''During the said operation, one foreign terrorist identified as Hafiz&nbsp;Hamza of Pakistan linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT was neutralised,&nbsp;'' said Jammu and Kashmir police.&nbsp;

The police said that the killed terrorist Saleem Parray was a categorized terrorist and active since 2016. He was wanted in several terror crime cases.''

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/four-dead-eight-injured-in-explosion-at-firecracker-factory-in-indias-sivakasi-441663" hreflang="en">4 dead, eight injured in explosion at firecracker factory in India's Sivakasi</a>

He was involved in several civilian killings including the killing of Bashir Ahmad Dar and his brother Ghulam Hassan Dar at Shahgund Hajin in 2018, and the killing of Hilal Ahmad Parray at Parray Mohalla Hajin on 16/05/2018. Besides, he was also involved in the throat-slitting of many civilians in the Hajin area. '' said Jammu and Kashmir Police.&nbsp;

The Kashmir Police IGP Vijay Kumar said that ''Pakistani terrorist Hafiz @ Hamza was involved in several terror crimes including the recent killing of two policemen at Gulshan Chowk Bandipora on 10/12/21 and after this terror crime, he shifted to Harwan area of Srinagar due to frequent cordon &amp; search operations in Bandipora area. He was also involved in the killing of a CRPF personnel at Hajin Bandipora, killing of a civilian namely Nadif Hanief Khan of Bilal Colony Soura in Buchpora.''&nbsp;

Police say Incriminating materials, arms, and ammunition were recovered from both the encounter sites. Police have registered cases under relevant sections of law regarding both the encounters and further investigation has been initiated.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Two terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba including Let Commander Saleem Parray and one foreign terrorist were killed in two operations in Srinagar city’s Shalimar area.

Two terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba including Let Commander Saleem Parray and one foreign terrorist were killed in two operations in Srinagar city’s Shalimar area. The security forces had input about the presence of terrorists in the Harwan or Shalimar area after which a search operation was launched. The police said ''During the search operation, the search party was fired upon indiscriminately by hiding terrorist, which was effectively retaliated leading to a brief shootout and elimination of a dreaded terrorist Saleem Parray, linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT.'' Also read | J&K LG announces slew of measures for safety of pilgrims after stampede After the killing of Let Terrorist in Shalimar, another operation started in the same area. The security forces killed another foreign terrorist in the operation. ''During the said operation, one foreign terrorist identified as Hafiz Hamza of Pakistan linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT was neutralised, '' said Jammu and Kashmir police. The police said that the killed terrorist Saleem Parray was a categorized terrorist and active since 2016. He was wanted in several terror crime cases.'' Also read | 4 dead, eight injured in explosion at firecracker factory in India's Sivakasi He was involved in several civilian killings including the killing of Bashir Ahmad Dar and his brother Ghulam Hassan Dar at Shahgund Hajin in 2018, and the killing of Hilal Ahmad Parray at Parray Mohalla Hajin on 16/05/2018. Besides, he was also involved in the throat-slitting of many civilians in the Hajin area. '' said Jammu and Kashmir Police. The Kashmir Police IGP Vijay Kumar said that ''Pakistani terrorist Hafiz @ Hamza was involved in several terror crimes including the recent killing of two policemen at Gulshan Chowk Bandipora on 10/12/21 and after this terror crime, he shifted to Harwan area of Srinagar due to frequent cordon & search operations in Bandipora area. He was also involved in the killing of a CRPF personnel at Hajin Bandipora, killing of a civilian namely Nadif Hanief Khan of Bilal Colony Soura in Buchpora.'' Police say Incriminating materials, arms, and ammunition were recovered from both the encounter sites. Police have registered cases under relevant sections of law regarding both the encounters and further investigation has been initiated.

Two terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba killed in two operations

Jammu and Kashmir government has started the vaccination drive for the children in the age group of 15 to 18 years. The government plans to inoculate all the&nbsp;0.83 million children in the age group within the next 10 days. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha inaugurated the vaccination drive from Jammu while the additional chief secretary of health &amp; medical education department Vivek Bhardwaj kick-started it at Srinagar. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-records-33750-new-covid-cases-in-24-hours-as-omicron-tally-reaches-1700-441908" hreflang="en">India records 33,750 new Covid cases in 24 hours as Omicron tally reaches 1,700</a>

''There are around&nbsp;0.83 million&nbsp;children in this age bracket across the union territory. There will be around 1,645 vaccination centres across Jammu and Kashmir. Our aim remains to vaccinate one lakh children on a daily basis,'' said Vivek Bhardwaj, additional chief secretary, health and medical education department. &nbsp;

<img alt="Brief 2" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="288c079b-cc76-4b07-abdc-27ab174d80e1" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Vaxx%20%281%29.jpg" />

The government also said that they have received 0.28 million&nbsp;fresh stock of vaccines. The vaccination drive would be fast-tracked as the vaccines are available in good numbers. The government also plans to airlift these vaccines to far flung areas, which generally get cut off due to snowfall. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-tourists-ignored-the-omicron-warning-at-baga-beach-in-goa-441911" hreflang="en">Watch: Tourists ignored the Omicron warning at Baga Beach in Goa</a>

''COVID-19 vaccination starts for children aged 15-18 years in J&amp;K. My humble request to the young friends is to get vaccinated. Vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic,'' said LG of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The government has also organised supplementary exams for the students, who missed the main exams, due to being Covid positive.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir government has started the vaccination drive for the children in the age group of 15 to 18 years. The government plans to inoculate all the 0.83 million children in the age group within the next 10 days.

Jammu and Kashmir government has started the vaccination drive for the children in the age group of 15 to 18 years. The government plans to inoculate all the 0.83 million children in the age group within the next 10 days. Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha inaugurated the vaccination drive from Jammu while the additional chief secretary of health & medical education department Vivek Bhardwaj kick-started it at Srinagar. Also Read: India records 33,750 new Covid cases in 24 hours as Omicron tally reaches 1,700 ''There are around 0.83 million children in this age bracket across the union territory. There will be around 1,645 vaccination centres across Jammu and Kashmir. Our aim remains to vaccinate one lakh children on a daily basis,'' said Vivek Bhardwaj, additional chief secretary, health and medical education department. The government also said that they have received 0.28 million fresh stock of vaccines. The vaccination drive would be fast-tracked as the vaccines are available in good numbers. The government also plans to airlift these vaccines to far flung areas, which generally get cut off due to snowfall. Also Read: Watch: Tourists ignored the Omicron warning at Baga Beach in Goa ''COVID-19 vaccination starts for children aged 15-18 years in J&K. My humble request to the young friends is to get vaccinated. Vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic,'' said LG of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha. The government has also organised supplementary exams for the students, who missed the main exams, due to being Covid positive.

COVID-19 vaccination drive for 0.83 million children in J&K begins

For the first time in the last 30 years, the number of active terrorists has come down to less than 200, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir claimed on Thursday.

They also said that out of those active terrorists, 86 are local, while the rest are foreigners.&nbsp;

The Jammu and Kashmir Police informed that 128 local boys joined terror ranks this year in the Valley, of which 86 are still active. The rest of them have either been killed or arrested by the forces.

“'It’s for the first time that the number of terrorists has gone down below 200 in the Union Territory. Out of the 128 local youth who joined terror outfits, 73 were neutralised in different encounters while 16 were arrested. The rest are still active,”' said Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar.&nbsp;

While addressing a joint press conference, the top police official also said that 11 terrorists have been killed in the Kashmir Valley in the last 5 days, in which 6 of them were gunned down yesterday (December 29) during two anti-terrorist operations.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/six-terrorists-including-two-pakistanis-killed-in-two-separate-encounters-in-jk-police-441058">Six terrorists, including two Pakistanis, killed in two separate encounters in J&amp;K: Police</a>

Calling Wednesday’s operation a “success”, Kumar said the security forces recovered one M-4 carbine, eight magazines, two AK 47 rifles and other ammunition from the encounter sites.

“The six killed terrorists belonged to proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. Among them four have been identified—two are from Pakistan and others were locals. The identification of the remaining two terrorists is being ascertained. It is a big success for us,” said Kumar.&nbsp;

In yesterday’s gun battle, an Indian Army soldier was killed, whereas two soldiers and one from Jammu and Kashmir Police were injured.&nbsp;

The state police chief said that the intelligence apparatus has been strengthened and the number of ceasefire violations has come down as well.

“The local militant recruitment has drastically come down as this year. Compared to 180 last year, only 128 to 130 locals have joined militancy,” said General-officer-Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lieutenant General D P Pandey.

For the first time in the last 30 years, the number of active terrorists has come down to less than 200, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir claimed on Thursday.

For the first time in the last 30 years, the number of active terrorists has come down to less than 200, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir claimed on Thursday. They also said that out of those active terrorists, 86 are local, while the rest are foreigners. The Jammu and Kashmir Police informed that 128 local boys joined terror ranks this year in the Valley, of which 86 are still active. The rest of them have either been killed or arrested by the forces. “'It’s for the first time that the number of terrorists has gone down below 200 in the Union Territory. Out of the 128 local youth who joined terror outfits, 73 were neutralised in different encounters while 16 were arrested. The rest are still active,”' said Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar. While addressing a joint press conference, the top police official also said that 11 terrorists have been killed in the Kashmir Valley in the last 5 days, in which 6 of them were gunned down yesterday (December 29) during two anti-terrorist operations. Also read | Six terrorists, including two Pakistanis, killed in two separate encounters in J&K: Police Calling Wednesday’s operation a “success”, Kumar said the security forces recovered one M-4 carbine, eight magazines, two AK 47 rifles and other ammunition from the encounter sites. “The six killed terrorists belonged to proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. Among them four have been identified—two are from Pakistan and others were locals. The identification of the remaining two terrorists is being ascertained. It is a big success for us,” said Kumar. In yesterday’s gun battle, an Indian Army soldier was killed, whereas two soldiers and one from Jammu and Kashmir Police were injured. The state police chief said that the intelligence apparatus has been strengthened and the number of ceasefire violations has come down as well. “The local militant recruitment has drastically come down as this year. Compared to 180 last year, only 128 to 130 locals have joined militancy,” said General-officer-Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lieutenant General D P Pandey.

For the first time in 30 years, active terrorists less than 200 in Jammu and Kashmir: Security agencies

The women of rural areas of Kashmir are no more dependent on their male folks, as the Indian army helps set up many women's self-help groups in various districts of the Kashmir region. These earnings are making these women independent and also supporting their families.

In a small village called Gund in the Kangan area of central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, these twenty women got together with the help of the Indian army and started a self-help group called Sonamarg foods. They make pickles and jams and their products are sold across the country. The apple jam is made from locally grown apples while pickles are made from fresh garden vegetables from the Ganderbal area.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/like-a-dream-indias-kashmir-valley-wrapped-in-blanket-of-snow-pics-are-mesmerising-439747" hreflang="en">Like a dream! India's Kashmir Valley wrapped in blanket of snow, pics are mesmerising</a>

“We started this group three&nbsp;months ago, we make jams and pickles here. We make Jams from Local apples, and pickles from fresh veggies. There are around 15-20 girls here. This is a great opportunity for girls to become independent and earn a livelihood. The Indian army has supported us in this. The army enquired about this area and said if you girls want to do something, they will support you. Not everyone is meant for jobs but some should start their own business. The Indian army funded this whole project and even the marketing is being done by them. We don’t need to be dependent on our male folks, we should be independent” said Nighat Tabasum, member of&nbsp;a self-help&nbsp;group. "

The women have prepared a fresh consignment of 500 bottles of pickles and hundreds of bottles of jams ready to be dispatched to different parts of the country. The Indian army is helping with the marketing of these products and soon they will be selling them online as well. The packaging and branding also was done with the help of the Indian army.

Also see |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/check-out-christmas-art-made-by-kashmiri-artisans-439444" hreflang="en">Check out Christmas art made by Kashmiri artisans</a>

''We have made 500 bottles of pickles and many bottles of Jams. The packaging is complete and we are ready to dispatch them. We have been making them for around 3 months. The Indian army helped us with getting this group together, making these products, and also now they are helping with selling these products. We used to sit idle at home and now with the help of the army, we are able to make a living. We want other girls from the community to join us. '' said Jabeena Banu, Coordinator, Self Help Group.

The girls were initially trained by the Indian army in how to make pickles and jams from locally grown produce. After the training, they started making these products, and now there are many women wanting to join such groups.

"We were taught how to make pickles and Jams and then started making it ourselves. We told every girl in the village about it and asked them to join. We are earning our livelihood by it. We are thankful to the army who came here and taught us and made us a part of this self-help group. '' said Afreena, a member.

These initiatives by the Indian army are not only empowering the women in the far-flung areas of the Kashmir Valley but also inspiring hundreds of others to start a business of their own.

The women of rural areas of Kashmir are no more dependent on their male folks, as the Indian army helps set up many women's self-help groups in various districts of the Kashmir region.

The women of rural areas of Kashmir are no more dependent on their male folks, as the Indian army helps set up many women's self-help groups in various districts of the Kashmir region. These earnings are making these women independent and also supporting their families. In a small village called Gund in the Kangan area of central Kashmir's Ganderbal district, these twenty women got together with the help of the Indian army and started a self-help group called Sonamarg foods. They make pickles and jams and their products are sold across the country. The apple jam is made from locally grown apples while pickles are made from fresh garden vegetables from the Ganderbal area. Also see | Like a dream! India's Kashmir Valley wrapped in blanket of snow, pics are mesmerising “We started this group three months ago, we make jams and pickles here. We make Jams from Local apples, and pickles from fresh veggies. There are around 15-20 girls here. This is a great opportunity for girls to become independent and earn a livelihood. The Indian army has supported us in this. The army enquired about this area and said if you girls want to do something, they will support you. Not everyone is meant for jobs but some should start their own business. The Indian army funded this whole project and even the marketing is being done by them. We don’t need to be dependent on our male folks, we should be independent” said Nighat Tabasum, member of a self-help group. " The women have prepared a fresh consignment of 500 bottles of pickles and hundreds of bottles of jams ready to be dispatched to different parts of the country. The Indian army is helping with the marketing of these products and soon they will be selling them online as well. The packaging and branding also was done with the help of the Indian army. Also see | Check out Christmas art made by Kashmiri artisans ''We have made 500 bottles of pickles and many bottles of Jams. The packaging is complete and we are ready to dispatch them. We have been making them for around 3 months. The Indian army helped us with getting this group together, making these products, and also now they are helping with selling these products. We used to sit idle at home and now with the help of the army, we are able to make a living. We want other girls from the community to join us. '' said Jabeena Banu, Coordinator, Self Help Group. The girls were initially trained by the Indian army in how to make pickles and jams from locally grown produce. After the training, they started making these products, and now there are many women wanting to join such groups. "We were taught how to make pickles and Jams and then started making it ourselves. We told every girl in the village about it and asked them to join. We are earning our livelihood by it. We are thankful to the army who came here and taught us and made us a part of this self-help group. '' said Afreena, a member. These initiatives by the Indian army are not only empowering the women in the far-flung areas of the Kashmir Valley but also inspiring hundreds of others to start a business of their own.

Kashmiri women set up self-help groups to earn their livelihood and become independent

The tourism industry in Kashmir Valley is finally back on track. Tourist arrivals have broken the&nbsp;record of the past ten years. Around 6.5 lakh tourists have visited Kashmir Valley this year with&nbsp;December witnessing the maximum arrivals. All the hotels in the hill stations of Gulmarg and Pahalgam are completely&nbsp;packed for the New Year.&nbsp;

According to the tourist department records, 6,40,000&nbsp;tourists have arrived in the Kashmir Valley this year. The month of December saw the maximum number of tourists arriving in Kashmir Valley at 1.18 lakhs in just 25 days. The data also said that 1.27 lakh tourists visited in the month of November this year. While witnessing the autumn season in the month of&nbsp;October, 93,000&nbsp;tourists came down to Kashmir.&nbsp;

''This year the arrival of tourists has crossed the 6-lakh mark, we expect it to be more in the coming days. This is the result of the work done by the department and stakeholders during post-Covid&nbsp;because of the vigorous marketing campaign and vaccination drive among the tourism stakeholders due to which we have&nbsp;seen&nbsp;results in terms of the footfall. 97 stakeholders are fully vaccinated. We went to tourism markets across the country to give them a message that we are ready and now we are seeing the results,&nbsp;'' said Ahsan Ul Haq, deputy director, tourism department.&nbsp;

<img alt="Snowfall in J&amp;K" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="836a1bc8-998b-4cad-b777-b21d43b93028" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/TT121.jpeg" />

The tourism department has also added some new lesser-known destinations this year for tourists to explore. Around 75 such destinations have been added to the list of must-visit places in Kashmir Valley. And it has seen a great response from the people visiting.&nbsp;

''The department took a very historic decision this year, an initiative of opening up and promoting some 75 lesser-known destinations and there has been a certain demand from tourists to visit these places. This year Gurez has seen a tremendous rush of tourists, we are trying to keep Sonamarg open for the winters, Pahalgam will also be hosting new year celebrations. We are also working more on adventure and heritage like promotion of skiing and trekking which has attracted many tourists,'' said Ahsan Ul Haq.&nbsp;

The government of Jammu and Kashmir will now focus on adventure and heritage tourism to boost the future tourism industry in the Union Territory. They will soon start the winter sports festival in destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam.&nbsp;

The tourism industry in Kashmir Valley is finally back on track. Tourist arrivals have broken the record of the past ten years. Around 6.5 lakh tourists have visited Kashmir Valley this year with December witnessing the maximum arrivals.

The tourism industry in Kashmir Valley is finally back on track. Tourist arrivals have broken the record of the past ten years. Around 6.5 lakh tourists have visited Kashmir Valley this year with December witnessing the maximum arrivals. All the hotels in the hill stations of Gulmarg and Pahalgam are completely packed for the New Year. According to the tourist department records, 6,40,000 tourists have arrived in the Kashmir Valley this year. The month of December saw the maximum number of tourists arriving in Kashmir Valley at 1.18 lakhs in just 25 days. The data also said that 1.27 lakh tourists visited in the month of November this year. While witnessing the autumn season in the month of October, 93,000 tourists came down to Kashmir. ''This year the arrival of tourists has crossed the 6-lakh mark, we expect it to be more in the coming days. This is the result of the work done by the department and stakeholders during post-Covid because of the vigorous marketing campaign and vaccination drive among the tourism stakeholders due to which we have seen results in terms of the footfall. 97 stakeholders are fully vaccinated. We went to tourism markets across the country to give them a message that we are ready and now we are seeing the results, '' said Ahsan Ul Haq, deputy director, tourism department. The tourism department has also added some new lesser-known destinations this year for tourists to explore. Around 75 such destinations have been added to the list of must-visit places in Kashmir Valley. And it has seen a great response from the people visiting. ''The department took a very historic decision this year, an initiative of opening up and promoting some 75 lesser-known destinations and there has been a certain demand from tourists to visit these places. This year Gurez has seen a tremendous rush of tourists, we are trying to keep Sonamarg open for the winters, Pahalgam will also be hosting new year celebrations. We are also working more on adventure and heritage like promotion of skiing and trekking which has attracted many tourists,'' said Ahsan Ul Haq. The government of Jammu and Kashmir will now focus on adventure and heritage tourism to boost the future tourism industry in the Union Territory. They will soon start the winter sports festival in destinations like Gulmarg and Pahalgam.

Kashmir gets record tourists in December

Like a dream! India's Kashmir Valley wrapped in blanket of snow, pics are mesmerising

It's a dream come true experience for the tourists who have landed in India's Kashmir Valley to celebrate Christmas and New Year. With fresh snowfall and tourist resorts like Gulmarg and Pahalgam completely covered in white snow, It's a white Christmas this year for all the people in Kashmir.&nbsp;

It's considered to be a blessing to be celebrating Christmas while it snows. All the hotels and guest houses in all the hill stations of Kashmir are completely booked for Christmas and New Year. People who are visiting are completely mesmerised by the views and snowfall.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kashmirs-christmas-art-wows-customers-millions-of-products-sold-worldwide-439289">Kashmir's Christmas art wows customers, millions of products sold worldwide</a>

"I am extremely happy to be here, I have now realised why people call this place paradise. I have come with my family and I am feeling so good that I have never felt so good in my life. These are breath-taking visuals. We are here on Christmas and we are feeling extremely blessed to be here. I feel as if I am in a movie," said Shail Kaushal, who is a tourist.&nbsp;

Some of the tourists were so mesmerised by the visuals that they started dancing in the snow. A lot of tourists were singing while throwing snow on each other. The winter tourists have finally picked up in the Kashmir Valley around the festivities.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-kashmirs-water-bodies-freeze-as-harshest-cold-period-called-chilai-kalan-starts-438747">India: Kashmir's water bodies freeze as harshest cold period called 'Chilai Kalan' starts</a>

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-kashmirs-water-bodies-freeze-as-harshest-cold-period-called-chilai-kalan-starts-438747"><img alt="Kashmir" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0cdef8d3-3a61-4ea3-9c58-1bb79772c993" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/thumbnail_Image%20%2812%29.jpg" /></a>

"I am loving it here; I have come with my whole family. It's one of the best places in India and my kids are enjoying the best. We have specially come for the Christmas and show them white Christmas," said Yejwan Kaushal, another tourist. &nbsp;

The tourist arrivals have broken all the previous records of winter tourism in Kashmir Valley. It's the highest tourist arrival in the last ten years in Kashmir, especially to these hill stations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg.&nbsp;

It's a dream come true experience for the tourists who have landed in India's Kashmir Valley to celebrate Christmas and New Year. With fresh snowfall and tourist resorts like Gulmarg and Pahalgam completely covered in white snow, It's a white Christmas this year for all the people in Kashmir.

It's a dream come true experience for the tourists who have landed in India's Kashmir Valley to celebrate Christmas and New Year. With fresh snowfall and tourist resorts like Gulmarg and Pahalgam completely covered in white snow, It's a white Christmas this year for all the people in Kashmir. It's considered to be a blessing to be celebrating Christmas while it snows. All the hotels and guest houses in all the hill stations of Kashmir are completely booked for Christmas and New Year. People who are visiting are completely mesmerised by the views and snowfall. ALSO READ | Kashmir's Christmas art wows customers, millions of products sold worldwide "I am extremely happy to be here, I have now realised why people call this place paradise. I have come with my family and I am feeling so good that I have never felt so good in my life. These are breath-taking visuals. We are here on Christmas and we are feeling extremely blessed to be here. I feel as if I am in a movie," said Shail Kaushal, who is a tourist. Some of the tourists were so mesmerised by the visuals that they started dancing in the snow. A lot of tourists were singing while throwing snow on each other. The winter tourists have finally picked up in the Kashmir Valley around the festivities. ALSO READ | India: Kashmir's water bodies freeze as harshest cold period called 'Chilai Kalan' starts "I am loving it here; I have come with my whole family. It's one of the best places in India and my kids are enjoying the best. We have specially come for the Christmas and show them white Christmas," said Yejwan Kaushal, another tourist. The tourist arrivals have broken all the previous records of winter tourism in Kashmir Valley. It's the highest tourist arrival in the last ten years in Kashmir, especially to these hill stations like Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Sonamarg.

'I feel as if I am in a movie': It's white Christmas in Kashmir, tourist arrivals break a ten-year record

We have all seen Christmas decorations hanging on the Christmas trees, also on walls and ceilings, but do we know where these Christmas balls and bells are made? Kashmir's famed Paper Mache artisans start months before the festival to make these decorative pieces. Millions of paper mache decorative pieces are sold to customers across the world just before Christmas.&nbsp;

Kashmir's award-winning paper mache artist Maqbool Jan has made thousands of these handmade products, especially for the Christmas festival. His products are sold across the world. He has been continuously supplying these products to western countries for decades.&nbsp;

"Christmas is a very big festival and we get a lot of work during the period. We make Christmas balls, bells, and other decorative pieces. We wait for this festival for months and start preparing three months from the festival. If someone wants special designs, then we take orders six months before the festival. There are orders in lakhs for these balls and bells," said Maqbool Jan.

<img alt="Kashmir art" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fe0c310b-be84-4516-b419-725079aa3f44" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Image%20%281%29_0.jpeg" />

The artists in the Kashmir Valley have introduced new designs in these decorative pieces. They are trying hard to grow the customer base across the world. The orders are sent to Europe, US, Dubai and many other countries. The artists say demand for these items has increased much more in the last few years.&nbsp;

"We keep on adding new designs to these to make customers happy. We make millions of these Christmas items. We are so happy to make these things. We send these items across the world. Not only to the West but to the Middle East too. It's also about people gifting these items to each other. And I think the demand has increased manifolds in the last few years. We also have a local Christian population and they also buy stuff during the festival," said Maqbool Jan

Christmas art from Kashmir is being sold across the world. It is helping the artists take the craft to many countries and also boost their business.

We have all seen Christmas decorations hanging on the Christmas trees, also on walls and ceilings, but do we know where these Christmas balls and bells are made?

We have all seen Christmas decorations hanging on the Christmas trees, also on walls and ceilings, but do we know where these Christmas balls and bells are made? Kashmir's famed Paper Mache artisans start months before the festival to make these decorative pieces. Millions of paper mache decorative pieces are sold to customers across the world just before Christmas. Kashmir's award-winning paper mache artist Maqbool Jan has made thousands of these handmade products, especially for the Christmas festival. His products are sold across the world. He has been continuously supplying these products to western countries for decades. "Christmas is a very big festival and we get a lot of work during the period. We make Christmas balls, bells, and other decorative pieces. We wait for this festival for months and start preparing three months from the festival. If someone wants special designs, then we take orders six months before the festival. There are orders in lakhs for these balls and bells," said Maqbool Jan. The artists in the Kashmir Valley have introduced new designs in these decorative pieces. They are trying hard to grow the customer base across the world. The orders are sent to Europe, US, Dubai and many other countries. The artists say demand for these items has increased much more in the last few years. "We keep on adding new designs to these to make customers happy. We make millions of these Christmas items. We are so happy to make these things. We send these items across the world. Not only to the West but to the Middle East too. It's also about people gifting these items to each other. And I think the demand has increased manifolds in the last few years. We also have a local Christian population and they also buy stuff during the festival," said Maqbool Jan Christmas art from Kashmir is being sold across the world. It is helping the artists take the craft to many countries and also boost their business.

Kashmir's Christmas art wows customers, millions of products sold worldwide

Looks like Elsa's castle! Lakes, rivers, waterfalls freeze as Kashmir Valley records sub-zero temperatures

The harshest period of cold, called 'Chilai Kalan' started today in India's Kashmir Valley. The temperatures have hit sub-zero in most of the parts of the region. Srinagar witnessed the coldest night at minus 6 degrees while Gulmarg at Minus 9.&nbsp;

For the unversed, the 40-day long 'Chillai Kalan' starts on December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai Khurd' and a 10-day-long 'Chilla Bachha' later.&nbsp;

The famous Drang waterfall next to Gulmarg has completely frozen due to minus temperatures. Hundreds of tourists are visiting the waterfall to see what we have seen in films mostly. The place is being called the winter wonderland.&nbsp;

IN PICS |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-northern-india-in-grip-of-cold-wave-more-snowfall-predicted-437990">Northern India in grip of cold wave, more snowfall predicted</a>

"It is very beautiful. I haven't seen anything like this before. I always wanted to come to Kashmir and I wasn't expecting it to be so beautiful but it's breathtaking haven't seen a frozen waterfall before, I travel across the world but this is something very unique. You have to see this place as u r missing out on something great if you haven't," said Sindhu, a tourist.&nbsp;

The severity of the cold is such that many lakes, rivers, waterfalls and other water bodies have completely frozen across the Kashmir valley.&nbsp;

Ladakh has also been witnessing severe cold waves. Drass, one of the coldest places in the world, recorded a temperature at minus 19.7 degrees.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/santa-arrives-early-in-kashmir-a-125-year-old-church-restored-to-original-glory-438468">Santa arrives early in Kashmir, a 125-year-old church restored to original glory</a>

"I have come for the first time and it's very beautiful. I haven't seen anything like this and it's truly a wonderland. I have travelled many parts but this is surely the best. I am enjoying it with my daughter, it's her idea to bring me here," said Mrs Sethi, who is a tourist.&nbsp;

The Met has predicted that the weather will remain dry for the next one week in Kashmir Valley and there would be a further dip in the temperatures.&nbsp;

The harshest period of cold, called 'Chilai Kalan' started today in India's Kashmir Valley. The temperatures have hit sub-zero in most of the parts of the region.

The harshest period of cold, called 'Chilai Kalan' started today in India's Kashmir Valley. The temperatures have hit sub-zero in most of the parts of the region. Srinagar witnessed the coldest night at minus 6 degrees while Gulmarg at Minus 9. For the unversed, the 40-day long 'Chillai Kalan' starts on December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai Khurd' and a 10-day-long 'Chilla Bachha' later. The famous Drang waterfall next to Gulmarg has completely frozen due to minus temperatures. Hundreds of tourists are visiting the waterfall to see what we have seen in films mostly. The place is being called the winter wonderland. IN PICS | Northern India in grip of cold wave, more snowfall predicted "It is very beautiful. I haven't seen anything like this before. I always wanted to come to Kashmir and I wasn't expecting it to be so beautiful but it's breathtaking haven't seen a frozen waterfall before, I travel across the world but this is something very unique. You have to see this place as u r missing out on something great if you haven't," said Sindhu, a tourist. The severity of the cold is such that many lakes, rivers, waterfalls and other water bodies have completely frozen across the Kashmir valley. Ladakh has also been witnessing severe cold waves. Drass, one of the coldest places in the world, recorded a temperature at minus 19.7 degrees. ALSO READ | Santa arrives early in Kashmir, a 125-year-old church restored to original glory "I have come for the first time and it's very beautiful. I haven't seen anything like this and it's truly a wonderland. I have travelled many parts but this is surely the best. I am enjoying it with my daughter, it's her idea to bring me here," said Mrs Sethi, who is a tourist. The Met has predicted that the weather will remain dry for the next one week in Kashmir Valley and there would be a further dip in the temperatures.

India: Kashmir's water bodies freeze as harshest cold period called 'Chilai Kalan' starts

The main political parties of Indian union territory Jammu and Kashmir have rejected the proposal given by the delimitation commission in New Delhi. The Commission proposes six additional seats for the Jammu region and one for Kashmir Valley.

This would make total seats in Jammu 43 and in Kashmir Valley, 47 and nine seats are proposed for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a tweet said, that the proposal is "unacceptable". He tweeted, "The draft recommendation of the J&amp;K delimitation commission is unacceptable. The distribution of newly created assembly constituencies with 6 going to Jammu &amp; only 1 to Kashmir is not justified by the data of the 2011 census."

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/santa-arrives-early-in-kashmir-a-125-year-old-church-restored-to-original-glory-438468">Santa arrives early in Kashmir, a 125-year-old church restored to original glory</a>

"It is deeply disappointing that the commission appears to have allowed the political agenda of the BJP to dictate its recommendations rather than the data which should have been it's only consideration. Contrary to the promised "scientific approach" it’s a political approach," he added.&nbsp;

The People Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also rejected the proposal and said, "My apprehensions about the Delimitation Commission weren't misplaced. They want to pitch people against each other by ignoring the population census &amp; preposing 6 seats for one region &amp; only one for Kashmir."

The PDP spokesperson while speaking to the media said "our apprehensions have come true".&nbsp;

"We have heard about the proposals that Delimitation Commission has put forward for Jammu Kashmir. This simply reflects what we have been saying for long. It's been done by BJP and how ththe eir party could gain out of it," PDP spokesperson Said Suhail Bukhari said. &nbsp;&nbsp;

IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-northern-india-in-grip-of-cold-wave-more-snowfall-predicted-437990">Northern India in grip of cold wave, more snowfall predicted</a>

"That is why commission has proposed 6 seats for Jammu and 1 seat for Kashmir, which is no way is justified. The agenda of BJP and today’s government is to divide the people in Jammu Kashmir on a regional and religions basis. The Commision has proven our party President Mehbooba Mufti right and we are rejecting this proposal," he added.&nbsp;

The newly formed J&amp;K Apni Party also in a tweet said that they reject the proposal of the delimitation commission. The tweet said, "This is outrightly unacceptable to us. Apni Party demands a fair delimitation exercise without any bias, taking population and districts as the base. We strongly demand the GoI to intervene."

The main political parties of Indian union territory Jammu and Kashmir have rejected the proposal given by the delimitation commission in New Delhi. The Commission proposes six additional seats for the Jammu region and one for Kashmir Valley.

The main political parties of Indian union territory Jammu and Kashmir have rejected the proposal given by the delimitation commission in New Delhi. The Commission proposes six additional seats for the Jammu region and one for Kashmir Valley. This would make total seats in Jammu 43 and in Kashmir Valley, 47 and nine seats are proposed for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, in a tweet said, that the proposal is "unacceptable". He tweeted, "The draft recommendation of the J&K delimitation commission is unacceptable. The distribution of newly created assembly constituencies with 6 going to Jammu & only 1 to Kashmir is not justified by the data of the 2011 census." ALSO READ | Santa arrives early in Kashmir, a 125-year-old church restored to original glory "It is deeply disappointing that the commission appears to have allowed the political agenda of the BJP to dictate its recommendations rather than the data which should have been it's only consideration. Contrary to the promised "scientific approach" it’s a political approach," he added. The People Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti also rejected the proposal and said, "My apprehensions about the Delimitation Commission weren't misplaced. They want to pitch people against each other by ignoring the population census & preposing 6 seats for one region & only one for Kashmir." The PDP spokesperson while speaking to the media said "our apprehensions have come true". "We have heard about the proposals that Delimitation Commission has put forward for Jammu Kashmir. This simply reflects what we have been saying for long. It's been done by BJP and how ththe eir party could gain out of it," PDP spokesperson Said Suhail Bukhari said. IN PICS | Northern India in grip of cold wave, more snowfall predicted "That is why commission has proposed 6 seats for Jammu and 1 seat for Kashmir, which is no way is justified. The agenda of BJP and today’s government is to divide the people in Jammu Kashmir on a regional and religions basis. The Commision has proven our party President Mehbooba Mufti right and we are rejecting this proposal," he added. The newly formed J&K Apni Party also in a tweet said that they reject the proposal of the delimitation commission. The tweet said, "This is outrightly unacceptable to us. Apni Party demands a fair delimitation exercise without any bias, taking population and districts as the base. We strongly demand the GoI to intervene."

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir react to delimitation proposal

With Christmas around the corner, Santa has already arrived with a gift for the Christian community living in Srinagar. A 125-year-old church called St Lukes was shut for the last 30 years and in a dilapidated condition. The church after three decades will again reverberate with Christmas carols and prayers.

The Christian community living in the valley are excited and happy that the church has been restored. St Lukes Church was established in the year 1896 by two Christian men called Arthur and Ernest Neve. And the church is a great example of the composite culture of the Kashmir Valley which dates back centuries.&nbsp;

"The government asked us everything they should be doing. It was only done after consultations with us. We are all very happy and it's like a dream come true. And not only for Christians but I think the locals who live around the area are happy that the church will have prayers again. The church was established in 1896 and it shows the history of Christianity in Kashmir. A lot of people don't know that Christians live in Kashmir but they are also surprised. With this, the message of brotherhood is sent across. There would be service over there on Christmas. We will have carol service and prayer there," said Reverend Eric in Srinagar.&nbsp;

Under the smart city project, the St Lukes church has been brought back to its original glory. The Jammu and Kashmir government took the initiative to restore the church on the auspicious occasion of Christmas and threw the church open to the public. It took hundreds of artisans and labourers to restore this heritage site. With Gothic architecture, the Interiors of the church are unique as they have an amalgamation of Kashmir's craftsmanship like Khatamband Ceiling with the Gothic Walls.&nbsp;

"It's a 125-year-old church, it was established in 1896 by two people named Arthur and Ernest Neve. It's a beautiful structure of gothic architecture. It's slightly different from the usual architecture we have in Kashmir. The inside interiors of the church have a Khatamband ceiling which is unique to Kashmir. It was in dilapidated condition and there were structural issues. The main structural issues have been restored. Its external facade has been restored. It has a three-floor bell tower which has also been restored. Besides that, we have used the local craftsmen to redo the place. I am happy that under the smart city project we have managed to restore this. We have done it with consultations with the local Christian community. The structure of this place is unique and it definitely will be one of the new landmarks to visit in Srinagar city," said Athar Amin, Commissioner SMC.&nbsp;

The government also plans to keep this heritage church a must-go place for the visitors coming to Kashmir Valley. The Government has plans to restore all heritage structures in the Kashmir Valley to boost tourism.&nbsp;

With Christmas around the corner, Santa has already arrived with a gift for the Christian community living in Srinagar. A 125-year-old church called St Lukes was shut for the last 30 years and in a dilapidated condition.

With Christmas around the corner, Santa has already arrived with a gift for the Christian community living in Srinagar. A 125-year-old church called St Lukes was shut for the last 30 years and in a dilapidated condition. The church after three decades will again reverberate with Christmas carols and prayers. The Christian community living in the valley are excited and happy that the church has been restored. St Lukes Church was established in the year 1896 by two Christian men called Arthur and Ernest Neve. And the church is a great example of the composite culture of the Kashmir Valley which dates back centuries. "The government asked us everything they should be doing. It was only done after consultations with us. We are all very happy and it's like a dream come true. And not only for Christians but I think the locals who live around the area are happy that the church will have prayers again. The church was established in 1896 and it shows the history of Christianity in Kashmir. A lot of people don't know that Christians live in Kashmir but they are also surprised. With this, the message of brotherhood is sent across. There would be service over there on Christmas. We will have carol service and prayer there," said Reverend Eric in Srinagar. Under the smart city project, the St Lukes church has been brought back to its original glory. The Jammu and Kashmir government took the initiative to restore the church on the auspicious occasion of Christmas and threw the church open to the public. It took hundreds of artisans and labourers to restore this heritage site. With Gothic architecture, the Interiors of the church are unique as they have an amalgamation of Kashmir's craftsmanship like Khatamband Ceiling with the Gothic Walls. "It's a 125-year-old church, it was established in 1896 by two people named Arthur and Ernest Neve. It's a beautiful structure of gothic architecture. It's slightly different from the usual architecture we have in Kashmir. The inside interiors of the church have a Khatamband ceiling which is unique to Kashmir. It was in dilapidated condition and there were structural issues. The main structural issues have been restored. Its external facade has been restored. It has a three-floor bell tower which has also been restored. Besides that, we have used the local craftsmen to redo the place. I am happy that under the smart city project we have managed to restore this. We have done it with consultations with the local Christian community. The structure of this place is unique and it definitely will be one of the new landmarks to visit in Srinagar city," said Athar Amin, Commissioner SMC. The government also plans to keep this heritage church a must-go place for the visitors coming to Kashmir Valley. The Government has plans to restore all heritage structures in the Kashmir Valley to boost tourism.

Santa arrives early in Kashmir, a 125-year-old church restored to original glory

Author

Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Idrees Lone

Home

Live Tv

Latest

World

India

Business

Entertainment

Sports

Opinions

Videos

Photos

Gravitas

Lifestyle

Science

Tech

Rajasthan News in Hindi: In-depth coverage of Rajasthan Crime, Political News, Education, Rajasthan Weather Update and Latest Rajasthan News on Zee News Rajasthan.