Manali, Kufri receive season''s first snow; tourists, hoteliers elated

Dipender Manta
Tribune News Service
Mandi/Shimla, November 15

There was overnight snowfall in Manali, Kufri and Narkanda, the season's first, the white mantle that covered the entire area bringing cheer to hoteliers and tourists.

Manali has received around 10 cm snow. Hoteliers are expecting good business in the coming days as snow is considered a boon for the tourism industry.

Diki Thakur, who runs a cottage in Rangri near Manali, said, “Its after a long time that Manali received snowfall this early and we are expecting a good winter season this year.”

The farmers of the area are happy too as snow is considered “white gold” for apple orchards.

Ramesh Thakur, an orchardist in Kullu district, said apple orchards require long chilling hours for a better crop, so timely snowfall will maintain moisture in the ground as well as the chilling temperature.

The outer Seraj area of Kullu district has been cut off from road network for several days now as Jalori Pass has already received more than a feet of snow.

In Lahaul Spiti, fresh snowfall was reported, due to which telecommunication services and power supply was affected in villages.

Higher reaches of Mandi district like Shikari Devi, Prashar and Kamrunag received fresh snowfall on Wednesday evening, which plummeted the temperature drastically.

Today weather was partially cloudy in Kullu-Manali and tourists were enjoying snow in the region.

Manali recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius.

High-altitude areas of Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Kullu and Kinnaur districts have also been experiencing snow since early Thursday.

Keylong in Lahaul and Spiti district was the coldest at minus 3.3.degrees Celsius, while it was minus 0.8 degrees in Kalpa, 8.8 in Dharamsala and 3.3 degrees in Shimla.

As news of the snowfall flashed across the plains, tourists started arriving at Manali and the nearby hills.

Peaks overlooking other popular tourist resorts like Dharamsala and Palampur have also got fresh snow.

The other hill destinations Shimla, Kufri, Dharamsala, Nahan, Chamba and Mandi got rains.