Shimla/Dharamsala: If snowfall played truant with you in Himachal Pradesh on Christmas and New Year`s Eve, then head to Dharamsala this weekend. The hill resort has got snowfall after many years. And it`s snowing in `Queen of Hills` Shimla too.
Most of the popular hill destinations in the state have been witnessing light to moderate snow, a weather official said on Saturday.
Dharamsala, the abode of Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, was totally covered in white, making the town more picturesque. Old-timers said it was after a gap of many years that Dharamsala, located at a height of 1,350 metre, got snowfall.
The Dhauladhar ranges of the Himalayas, in the backdrop of Dharamsala, have been experiencing moderate snow since early Saturday, the weatherman said.
McLeodganj, a tiny hamlet in upper Dharamsala, known for its British flavour and the abode of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, has received some of the heaviest snowfall in many years.
Likewise, Shimla and its nearby tourist spots woke up to a white sheet of snow. The minimum temperature recorded in the hill station was minus 0.7 degrees Celsius. This was the season`s third snowfall that froze the town.
According to the Met department, Shimla recorded 7.8 cm of snow till early Saturday. The minimum temperature fell by 0.4 degrees from Friday`s temperature.
Nearby tourist spots like Kufri, Fagu and Narkanda also experienced moderate spells of snowfall.
The picturesque tourist resort of Manali in Kullu district continued to experience moderate snow Saturday. However, hills overlooking the town experienced heavy snow.
The picturesque tourist destinations of Chitkul, a village close to the China border, and Kalpa, both in Kinnaur district, saw moderate snow.
"High-altitude areas of Lahaul and Spiti, Chamba, Mandi, Kullu, Kinnaur and Shimla districts have been experiencing moderate to heavy snow since Thursday," the official said.
A government spokesperson said all the state-run buses were plying on normal routes and there was no report of any major closure of highways due to snow.
IANS
