The snow sculpture of the Taj Mahal has become a new tourist attraction in Gulmarg, J&K

Following the opening of an igloo cafe in Gulmarg, Jammu and Kashmir's Gulmarg, a snow sculpture of the Taj Mahal has become the latest tourist attraction.

Members of the hotel Grand Mumtaz sculpted a replica of the Taj Mahal, one of the world's seven wonders, with the goal of making the tourist attraction Gulmarg more enticing and memorable for visitors.

Gulmarg, which is already on the top of tourists' lists of snow-loving locations, had previously seen large crowds congregate to dine in an igloo cafe.

The locals have managed to continue to thrill tourists from all around the world by erecting this new sculpture with no material expense in 17 days.

The sculpture, which stands 16 feet tall and covers an area of 24 feet by 24 feet, drew a large crowd of people who flocked to take pictures next to it.

"We wanted to create some resemblance with the name of the hotel keeping in mind to create something that can be talked about for a long time. We wanted to make it memorable for people. Approximately 100 hours of time has gone into this. This place has already become a centre of attraction for tourists," Satyajeet Gopal, General Manager of Grand Mumtaz Hotel said.

Mughal monarch Shah Jahan erected the Taj Mahal in Agra in honour of his wife Mumtaz.

According to Yusuf Baba, the head of the team that created the sculpture, a four-person team was involved in the project, and no other material but snow was employed. He also stated that it has already become a tourist destination for a number of people.

According to Manzoor Ahmad, a local tour guide with at least 10 years of experience in the tourism industry, this is the first time something like this has been created here.

A traveller, enthralled by the sculpture's magnificence, encouraged others to visit Gulmarg and see the picturesque beauty for themselves.

"I urge people to come and experience the grandeur and beauty of this place. People have taken out time to showcase incredible India here. You will be mesmerized by it," said Rahul adding that it is safe for tourists as COVID-19 protocols are being followed.

"I met people from across the country here, who have come to see this. Kashmiri kahwa was also being served here yesterday," said Anmol, another tourist who came from Jammu with friends.

"This Taj Mahal is very beautiful. We will again come and see this in the evening with the lighting set up. It is a very unique thing," said Rashmi, a resident of Gurgaon, Haryana.