The 40-day-long harsh winter spell known as chillai kalan began in Kashmir Valley on Saturday on a pleasant note as light drizzle moistened plains while the mountains were covered in while blanket following moderate snowfall.
The snowfall ahead of Christmas celebrations in the world-famous ski resort of Gulmarg brought cheer to tourism managers busy in preparations for the year-end festivities. Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Shopian received snowfall in the Valley and the authorities closed down Mughal Road that connects Valley with Rajouri district of Jammu province.
The residents in Kashmir are battling an intense cold wave amidst scarcity of electricity and the situation is worsens sans lack of basic amenities as Chillai kalan proceeds through December and January months. A meteorological department official said that 1-2 centimetre thick layers of snow have accumulated at Gulmarg, Pahalgam and some spots around Mughal Road and Amarnath cave. The minimum temperature in capital Srinagar was recorded at minus 3.9 degree Celsius, a Met department official said.
The plains also received light rainfall breaking a long spell of dry cold wave. Doctors say that the precipitation would improve the health conditions of people especially children. The snowfall in Gulmarg has covered the ski slopes with a moderate layer of powdery snow. This has brought cheer to the managers of tourism and winter sports, who are gearing up to receive large number of tourists on Christmas and New Year eve.
“We are happy that the snowfall occurred at right time. We have received lot of bookings and hoteliers are ready to entertain the merrymakers”, Tariq Ganai, Chief Executive Officer of Gulmarg Development Authority told The Pioneer. Hundreds of tourists from West Bengal and south Indian states have arrived to watch snowfall.
For past several years, the tourism department holds special programmes in Gulmarg on Christmas and New Year. Hordes of domestic and foreign tourists throng the famous ski resort during the winter. Gulmarg is one of the cheapest ski resorts in the world with a variety of slopes and cable car that takes the tourists and skiiers to a height of five kilometres.