The hidden dangers behind India’s viral ‘snowy’ tourist spot

A 350-acre white expanse of marble waste in Kishangarh, western India, has become an unlikely tourist destination. The Kishangarh marble dumping yard's vast white expanse draws thousands of visitors each day.

KISHANGARH, India: In India’s western state of Rajasthan, a vast white expanse draws thousands of visitors each day. At first glance, the 350-acre site resembles a wintry, snow-covered landscape complete with gleaming ridges.

What Happened

But this winter wonderland is far from natural. It is, in fact, a dumping ground for marble slurry waste produced by the Kishangarh region’s marble processing facilities.

• The viral tourist attraction first became popular after comedian Kapil Sharma used it as a backdrop in his 2015 comedy film.

• The area even has its own Google Maps listing as a tourist attraction, called “Dumping Yard Kishangarh”, boasting a 4.4-star rating from more than 6,800 reviews.

• Every day, nearly 2 million liters of marble slurry waste, carried in by hundreds of trucks, is dumped at the yard.

Key Details

In recent years, the site has become an unlikely tourist attraction, with mostly domestic visitors travelling from across India to capture unique photographs. Some have likened it to Switzerland, while others say it reminds them of Santorini in Greece.

• Over 200,000 industry workers and nearby residents are regularly exposed to the contamination, a 2022 study by the Central University of Rajasthan found.

• A February 2025 study on a similar marble waste dump yard elsewhere in Rajasthan revealed potential asbestos exposure.

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Why It Matters

My son has visited this place a couple of times. Since then, its striking white expanse has featured in several Bollywood films and music videos.

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• Beyond regulatory action, environmental experts and locals have called for the wastewater generated in marble and granite cutting to be treated and recycled, rather than discharged into open dumping sites.

What Reports Say

Coverage of the story so far points to:

• Continued reporting by CNA as more details emerge