5 Days After Attack, Hope, Confidence Take Over Pahalgam As Tourists Return

Pahalgam, hit by terror that cost 26 lives, appears to have bounced back with tourists who wanted to enjoy summer in Kashmir Valley, sticking to their travel plans. The refrain was -- "We thought it over and decided to come".

The scenic area that had drawn the "Little Switzerland" tag, was opened to tourists a couple of days after Tuesday's attack. Ground Zero of the attack, Baisaran meadow, is still shut though. 

For a few days after the group of terrorists emerged from the pine forests around the meadow and opened fire on a group of unsuspecting tourists, the bustling tourist hub had almost emptied out. 

In place of 5,000 to 7,000 sightseers a day, hardly 100 could be seen after the massacre, raising spectres of unemployment for locals who mostly depend on tourism.

But on Sunday, a heartening scene unfolded on the streets of Pahalgam as foreign and domestic tourists strolled through the town, bringing back a sense of normalcy.

Displaying remarkable resilience and optimism, tourists from across India said such incidents can happen anywhere. 

A group visiting from Maharashtra said they were not afraid because they have the support of travel agents and their tour group. "We should not be afraid. What will happen, will happen," one of them said. 

Croatian and Serbian tourists were seen exploring the streets of Pahalgam, completely at ease. 

Vlatko, a tourist from Croatia, said: "It is my 10th time in Kashmir and every time it is fantastic. For me, it is number one in the world, natural, soft people. My group is very happy; it's their first time here, Croatian and Serbian people."

Asked about safety, he said, "I feel totally safe, no problem here. Everywhere, people say hello - zero, zero scared."

Ljiljana from Croatia told news agency ANI that they were feeling "very safe". "We don't have any problem staying here. Kashmir is beautiful, very beautiful. We are very, very satisfied with your nature, and people are very kind," she said. 

Admir Jahic, another tourist from Croatia, echoed similar sentiments. Asked about the attack, he said, "I didn't feel any fear. I know it is not something that regularly happens here. If you are afraid, you can stay at home, but even there it can happen. It happens in Europe, it happens everywhere. There's no safe place in the world anymore".