Over 500 shikaras (boats) particpated in the event organised during Water Sports Festival in Srinagar
Srinagar experienced coldest night of the season on Saturday as the minimum temperature dipped to minus 4.5 degrees. But amid this freezing cold the Dal Lake is generating a different kind of heat as it plays the host to a water sports festival and a
Shikara Rally.
Young girls are competing in the state of the art boats, as over 500
shikaras (boats) also dot these freezing waters.
"We have passion and talent to practice in such freezing cold. In every field girls are way ahead of boys," said one of the participants, Asifa Shafi.
"We don't accept defeat. We are continuously practicing. Our coach is our ideal and we want to follow her," said another girl.
The inspiration for these young girls is Bilques mir, the national coach for kayaking and canoeing.
She says there are 2,000 children who are getting trained at the water support centre in Srinagar.
For the last two years the state has won 120 medals at the national level.
"Our State has now the Nalo Sinko boats that were used in Rio Olympics. With these boats I'm hopeful that the state will reach Olympics in water sports," said Bilques Mir.
The
shikara wallas who suffered heavy losses during the five-month long unrest in Kashmir are hopeful that this festival will send a positive message and help bring more tourists back to the Valley.