Click to play videoDrass: From a battlefield to a sporting arena, Drass moves beyond the scars of the Kargil war to cheer the who's who of Indian polo who have landed at the high turfs for a friendly game.
Away from the threat of terror and the scars of the Kargil war, people in Drass are enjoying some sporting action.
Drass valley is also one of the world highest polo turfs. And this time, Drass got to see the likes of Angad Kalan, Ransher Singh and Jai Shergill play for the corporate Lalit Palace team against the local team. Although they needed some getting used to to the new environment.
"We are find it difficult to acclimatise to this altitude and the horses. I had a fall but luckly did not hurt myself,'' said Angad Kalan.
The game was hosted by the Lalit Suri hospitality group. The idea was to boost sport and tourism in Kashmir. Hundreds of locals turned up to cheer the players.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was also present at the event, that too in a goncha - the traditional dress of Drass and Kargil.
"I am happy corporate India is not arriving in Jammu and Srinagar towns only, but has come to a distant Drass the Lalit Palace team has been a pioneer in this," said Omar.
Equally jubilant were the local players and the chairperson of the Lalit group who vowed to revive the sport in Drass.
"Everybody knows where Drass is. As the CM said Drass should now be popular and famous for its hospitality and tourism spectacle," said Managing director, Lalit Group, Jyotsna Suri.
"I used to play when I was a child and the game was very popular here,'' said a player, Fakir Mohammad
The lofty mountains and the solo polo ground of Drass were witness to heavy pounding before and during the Kargil theatre, but the Indian army has ensured that the guns fall silent. And now the only sounds that reverberate in the mountains are the polo shots.
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