First snowfall blankets Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib in Uttarakhand

New Delhi: The first snowfall of the season has covered Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib and its surrounding areas in Uttarakhand, intensifying the cold in the region. The snowfall, accompanied by rain, began last night and continued until 9 a.m.

Approximately six inches of snow have accumulated at Gurdwara Gobind Dham, located at an altitude of 10,000 feet below the shrine. Narinderjit Singh Bindra, head of the Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib Management Trust, said that while this year’s snowfall has been delayed, it is crucial in addressing climate change and improving the environment.

Bhai Sewa Singh, the trust’s manager, said that light snowfall marked the end of the pilgrimage season, but the weather had remained dry since then.

This marks the first significant snowfall of the winter season, with estimates suggesting that one and a half to two feet of snow may have fallen at Gurdwara Sri Hemkunt Sahib itself.

Repair work is currently underway at Gurdwara Gobind Dham. Despite the challenging weather, the shrine has seen over 2.25 lakh devotees pay obeisance this year.