Gulmarg, Oct 06 (KNS): As an early spell of snowfall blanketed Kashmir’s famous valleys in early October, tourists from across India expressed surprise and delight at witnessing the rare weather phenomenon, calling the experience “magical” and urging others to visit the region without fear.

At Gulmarg, the Kashmir’s famous tourist destination, Visitors from Kolkata, Delhi, and other parts of the country said their experience in Kashmir defied media portrayals of the region as unsafe, describing it instead as peaceful and welcoming.

“Don’t go by the news. The media only propagandizes about Hindus and Muslims,” said one tourist from Kolkata to Kashmir News Service. “Here, Hindus and Muslims live like brothers. Kashmir is the most beautiful state in India — it should be called the father of Switzerland, not the second Switzerland.”

The tourists said Kashmir is a safe place for travelers and accused sections of the media of spreading a false narrative about the region.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel“People say it’s not safe or that there are terrorists, but that’s not true,” said Rubina, a visitor from Delhi. “We’ve had a wonderful experience. Kashmiri people are kind and hospitable — everyone should come here and see the truth.”

The group, visiting Gulmarg, was elated to witness snowfall so early in the season. “We never imagined there would be snow in October. It’s Allah’s miracle that we got to see this,” said another visitor, adding that Kashmiri hospitality made their trip memorable.

Sangeeta, a tourist from Kolkata, said the heavy snow made the trip unforgettable. “I am very happy to be here. Everyone should come — it’s beautiful, peaceful, and safe,” she said.

Notably, the higher reaches of Kashmir received snowfall on Monday, while rains in the plains brought cheer to tourists and the tourism industry, which had been hit hard by the Pahalgam attack in April that left 27 tourists dead.(KNS).