Shimla : Despite a bright sunny day Saturday a cold wave is sweeping the Kullu valley after snow fell on the Rohtang Pass and surrounding peaks in Kullu and Lahaul regions of Himachal Pradesh .
The Rohtang pass some 55 km from the popular tourist resort of Manali has been blocked due to six inches of snow Friday .
All the other passes on the high altitude route to Leh have also received light to moderate snowfall .
Mercury in Manali fell sharply Friday to 3 C and while the maximum was 15 C .
Lakes and rivers have frozen in the Lahaul valley as below freezing conditions are prevailing in the tribal valley after a fresh spell of snowfall .
The state capital Shimla recorded a maximum of 18 C and a minimum of 9.7 C . The weatherman has forecast a mainly clear sky Saturday .
In a 20 year career published widely. He has worked for the BBC, AFP, The Statesman, IANS and the Business Standard . Known for his hard hitting writing and occasional off-beat stories. He lives in Shimla.
