Himachal may develop ski resort in Shimla

Himachal Pradesh may develop a ski resort in Shimla to promote tourism, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said here Monday.

"We will consider in near future to develop a ski resort at Chanshal near Rohru in Shimla district besides developing Bashal Kanda (near Sarahan) area for which the tourism department has been asked to conduct a survey for constructing ropeway," an official statement quoting the chief minister said.

Interacting informally with Russian news agency Itar-Tass, Virbhadra Singh said in order to develop the state as one of major tourist destinations, the government would first widen and strengthen road network.

"Developing ski resorts for sports lovers and tourists would be the next priority," he said.

He said there was enough scope for adventure tourism in Chamba, Sirmaur, Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts.

"We are proud of (Nicholas) Roerich legacy and it belongs as much to Himachal as to Russia," the chief minister said.

Renowned painter Roerich came to India and preferred Himachal as his second home. "Being ex-officio president of the Roerich art gallery (near Kullu town), we will be completing its refurbishing and take necessary measures for preservation of the artefacts," he added.

It was the Congress government which earlier initiated measures for renovating the art gallery and the work was stalled during the previous government (BJP) regime. "Now my government is going to make it sure that the paintings and artefacts are maintained properly."

The International Roerich Memorial Trust, which manages Roerich's estate near Kullu, has over 8,126 artefacts.

These include 37 paintings by Nicholas Roerich, 12 paintings by his son Svyatoslav Roerich, 1,586 memorial objects, 1,736 books and journals, and 3,070 herbarium collections.

The Roerich estate is located in Naggar, 25 km from Kullu town, where Roerich came in 1927 from St. Petersburg. He made the tiny village his home for more than 20 years.

Roerich's wife Helena, a famous writer, and sons Yuri, a prominent Oriental scholar, and Svyatoslav, a well-known painter, and Svyatoslav's wife Devika Rani all stayed with him in Naggar.

Roerichs' estate comprises the premises of the Indian-Russian Memorial Complex, the Gallery of N.K. Roerich, Helena Roerich Arts College and exhibition halls in the buildings of the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute.