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Why go to Europe or the USA? Finding good Indian ski resorts is no longer a Himalayan task.

If you're one of those brave ones that wants to meet the winter head on, and not hide from it, why not try a bit of snowsports? Some skiing, perhaps? And no, the Swiss Alps are the obvious choice. Try the Himalayas instead. There are actually quite a few ski locales opening up in India in Jammu and Kashmir, the hills of Kumaon, Himachal Pradesh and the north-eastern states. Gulmarg is considered the best of the lot. The newly installed gondola in Gulmarg takes you to the highest ski point in the world at 11,500 feet and gives you a single run of 6.5 km all the way down. It boasts spectacular views of K2, Nanga Parbat and Nunkun.

The Kufri slopes of Himachal Pradesh have been popular for recreational winter sport since the days of the Raj, but there are also good slopes in Kullu and Spiti. And various tour companies in Auli in Uttaranchal, overlooking the 25,000-foot Nanda Devi peak, offer all-inclusive seven-day tours with certified instruction and equipment included.

Everyone's waiting to see whether American billionaire Alfred Ford's proposed 100-acre Himalayan ski village in the Kullu Valley "" an "eco-township" of villas, spas and of course ski slopes, besides whitewater rafting, unlimited trekking, parasailing and mountain biking "" sees the light. That would make it India's first official ski resort.

Of course, if you're more than just a holiday skier and seek thrills in the back country, the Himalayas in Nepal might be best, where heliskiing (substitute a cable car with a helicopter) operators organise private heliskiing and heliboarding trips in the remote Everest and Annapurna regions, surrounded by peaks that are over 20,000 feet in height.

The best time for this? December to March. Don't go expecting luxurious ski resorts à la St Moritz or Aspen. Accommodation is usually basic; some intrepid skiers even make do with villagers' huts and rest houses. But skiing costs just a quarter of what it does in the Alps. At Gulmarg, a day on the slopes costs just Rs 250, and Rs 1,000 with a government guide. Plus, there's that other advantage, of seldom bumping into another skier or snowboarder. If nothing else, go there to touch snow. Novel enough for most of us!