Baskin’ in Peace At Last

A summer of tourists and Baskin Robbins ice-cream

Ali Mohammed is a happy man this summer. A taxi driver in Kashmir, he has witnessed several summers of unrest. But this time, peace has finally been given some chance. That means a lot for people like Mohammed who depend on tourism for their livelihood.

As many parts of India reel under the oppressive sun, tourists are flocking the Valley in large numbers, since Kashmir continues to remain peaceful. There are no curfews, no strikes, and there are no angry youth on the streets, pelting stones. This summer, the Valley is witnessing an unprecedented rush, and the influx of tourists is mostly from the rest of India.

Last summer, and a few summers before that, the Valley was consumed by a series of violent incidents, leading to a dead drop in tourist arrivals. But this summer is different. According to yatra.com, a leading Indian travel portal, there has been a 35 per cent increase in bookings for Kashmir compared to the same period last year. Many local businessmen have done their bit to make the Valley more cosmopolitan for tourists. The first five star hotel opened in Kashmir a few months ago. This June, the well-known American ice-cream chain Baskin Robbins will open three outlets in Kashmir for the first time. The owner told a local paper that he had a tough time persuading the chain to open shop in Kashmir. The paper quoted an entrepreneur on the significance of this: "The arrival of such brands changes our psyche and mood from a stressful life. The influx of these brands gives us a feeling that we are also moving ahead—and change is happening in Kashmir."

It helped that a separatist leader like Yasin Malik assured incomers that they would be safe there. "Kashmir has a rich tradition and culture of hospitality and Kashmir is perfectly safe, an ideal place for travellers to enjoy their holidays," Malik told a group of tourists.

Summer unrest had almost become a norm; in winter, protesters would chant: "Khoon ka badla June mein lenge." This made J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah retort recently: "If you want to create unrest, try and do it in winter. Why do do it in summer? There are so many people who earn their livelihood from the income generated by tourists. Why are you trying to ruin their lives?"

Kashmiris can now look forward to more Bollywood films being shot in the Valley, as used to be the case before militancy

broke out in the late 80s. They are also hopeful that the state continues to remain peaceful. Because, in Kashmir, things can go topsy-turvy in a matter of seconds.