First Snowfall Turns Mata Vaishnodevi Pilgrimage Into Magical Experience

The season's first snowfall was observed in the Trikuta hills around the Mata Vaishnodevi shrine, attracting pilgrims despite the weather. Snowfall also affected several districts in Jammu, closing key roads but not the Jammu-Srinagar highway. Traffic advisories were issued to warn of delays due to heavy snowfall.

The Trikuta hills, housing the Mata Vaishnodevi cave shrine, witnessed the season's first snowfall, while widespread rain impacted the Jammu region, forcing the closure of Mughal and Simthan roads. Despite adverse weather, pilgrims continued their trek to the shrine, expressing joy at experiencing snowfall.

A tourist from Pune shared his delight, calling it a blessing to see snow at the holy site for the first time. Sanasar, a popular resort in Ramban, also saw moderate snowfall, as did Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Poonch, Kathua, and Reasi districts, according to officials.

Authorities noted that some key routes, including inter-district and inter-regional roads, were shut due to snow. Although the Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained open amid rain, traffic police issued advisories for caution, particularly regarding the slow pace in the Qazigund-Anantnag sector and Banihal near the Navyug tunnel.

(With inputs from agencies.)