Snowfall at Vaishno Devi, Patnitop

Jammu Sunday, Jan 4 2009 IST
Trikuta hills of the world famous Shri Mata Vaishno Devi cave shrine today experienced fresh snowfall as the entire state was gripped in freezing cold waves.

Pilgrims witnessed heavy snowfall on way to Bhairon Nath Mandir, the highest temple on the Trikuta hills of Mata Vaishno Devi, during the night and the mountain peaks turned completely snow clad in the morning.

However, there was no-much difference in the number of pilgrims reaching the holy cave shrine to pay obeisance, sources said.

Higher reaches of the region, including famous Patnitop hill resort on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-1A), also witnessed snowfall. ''There was more than five inches now at Patnitop while the nearby Natha Top hill station had one-and-a-half meter snowfall,'' an official source said.

There was snowfall on the national highway, but the Police Control Room (PCR), Jammu, confirmed that road link between the two capital cities of the state was open for vehicular movement.

''Traffic movement is slow, but smooth on the national highway despite snowfall in the night,'' a PCR official said.