Shimla, March 19 Tourist arrivals surged in Himachal Pradesh after the snowfall, with Manali being thronged and devotees making a beeline for Shaktipeeths and other shrines on the first day of Navratri on Thursday.
While snow enthusiasts headed towards Manali and the Atal Tunnel, devotees turned up in large numbers at Devi temples, wishing for a prosperous year.
People involved in Manali's tourism and allied industries welcomed the sudden increase in hotel occupancy.
In the Manali valley and parts of Lahaul and Spiti, intermittent snowfall has been occurring for the past three days.
Since Wednesday evening, Gondla in Lahaul and Spiti district has received 13 cm of snow, followed by Keylong, Kukumseri, Hansa, and Kalpa in Kinnaur, which received 12 mm, 11.4 cm, 10 cm, and 0.4 cm of snow.
Vehicles were restricted from going beyond the Solang Valley due to the accumulation of snow.
"The snowfall in mid-March is a boon for the tourism industry, as it will last until summer in high-altitude areas, attracting tourists," said Roshan Thakur, president of the Manali Hoteliers Association.
Gajender Thakur, president of the Federation of Himachal Hotels and Restaurant Association, said he expects hotel occupancy to double to 70 per cent during the weekend.
Chaman Kapoor, another leading stakeholder in the tourism industry, said, "The snowfall and the drop in mercury have proven to be a blessing for tourism. The snowfall has also brought cheer to orchardists, who were worried due to inadequate moisture and cooling in the winter."
Manali resident Fateh Chand said that the rain will help crops by replenishing the soil's moisture levels.
The doors of famous shrines such as Brajeshwari Devi and Chamunda Mata in Kangra district, Chintpurni in Una district, Sri Naina Devi in Bilaspur, Baba Balaknath temple in Hamirpur, and Maa Bala Sundri Temple in Sirmaur district, were opened before dawn.
As they were opened, they resonated with the echoes of hymns and chants.
Hundreds of devotees visited Kali Bari, Tara Devi, Bhimakali, Hatkoti, and Sankat Mochan in Shimla.
Sadan Sharma, the priest at the Brajeshwari Temple, said that pilgrims throng the temple throughout the entire nine-day festival from across the north.
Raghavendra Yadav, a devotee from Uttar Pradesh, said that Brajeshwari is his family deity, and he considers himself fortunate to seek her blessing on the very first day of Navratri.