Srinagar: Kashmiris breathed a sigh of relief on the second day of Chilla-i-Kalan, their harshest winter period, as minimum temperatures across the valley saw a slight rise. The capital city, Srinagar, recorded a low of -3.3°C, a notch higher than the previous night.
While the overall weather remains frigid, Pahalgam and Gulmarg, popular tourist destinations, witnessed a more significant improvement. Pahalgam recorded -4.8°C, up a degree from the previous night, while Gulmarg, surprisingly, became the warmest place in the valley at -1.0°C, two degrees warmer than Srinagar.
However, the intense cold has taken its toll, freezing numerous slow-moving water bodies and water supply lines in some areas. People bundle up in layers to stay warm, relying on traditional earthen firepots called Kangris due to erratic electricity supply. Respiratory problems are also on the rise among children and the elderly.
The weather forecast offers little solace, predicting generally cloudy skies and a possibility of light snow in isolated higher reaches on Saturday and December 27th.
Chilla-i-Kalan, the 40-day period of severe cold, brings frequent and heavy snowfall, often isolating higher regions. Traditionally, Kashmiris relied on dried vegetables to weather the winter as the Srinagar-Jammu highway would be snowed in. While dried vegetables remain a delicacy, improved infrastructure has made the highway more accessible throughout the year.
Chilla-i-Kalan ends on January 31st, but the cold lingers in the form of the subsequent “Chillai-Khurd” (20 days) and “Chillai-Bachha” (10 days).
