NEW DELHI: Chillai Kalan, Kashmir’s harshest 40-day winter stretch, kicked off on Saturday with Srinagar shivering through its coldest December night in half a century.
The mercury dipped to a bone-chilling minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, marking the coldest December night in the city since 1974, according to the meteorological department.
The icy spell gripped the entire valley, with temperatures plunging well below freezing in several areas. On Friday night, Srinagar’s temperature tumbled from minus 6.2 degrees the night before to minus 8.5 degrees, reflecting the intensifying winter freeze.
This marks the city’s coldest December night in nearly five decades, with the previous record standing at minus 10.3 degrees Celsius in 1974.
It also ranks as the third coldest December night in Srinagar’s recorded history, stretching back to 1891.
Unscheduled power outages
As unscheduled power outages grip Kashmir during the intense Chilla-i-Kalan period, residents are turning back to age-old methods to stay warm.
The 40-day stretch of the harshest winter has pushed modern heating gadgets to the sidelines, leaving locals to cope with freezing temperatures using traditional wood-based heating.
In recent years, urban Kashmiris had largely abandoned traditional heating solutions like the wood-fired ‘hamams,’ ‘bukharis,’ and the portable ‘kangri’ in favor of electric heaters and modern appliances. However, with erratic power supply making these gadgets unreliable, the community is finding comfort in old practices.
“Over the past few years, we had gotten used to using electric gadgets to keep ourselves warm. With 12-hour cuts every day, we have now gone back to kangris,” said Yasir Ahmad, a resident of Gulbahar Colony in Srinagar. Reflecting on his now-useless air conditioner, Ahmad added, “It feels like my investment has gone to waste.”
Similarly, Abdul Ahad Wani from Rainawari lamented his decision to switch from a wood-fuelled hamam to an electric one. “I thought using the wood hamam was cumbersome and electric hamam will be better as it is available on the push of a switch. People in power have a habit of proving us wrong,” he remarked.
The shortage of LPG and kerosene has driven up demand for wood and charcoal, providing a boost to firewood sellers.
“All I can say is the demand has been good this winter for wood. People have to keep themselves warm and there is nothing better than wood in these times,” said Mohammad Abbas Zargar, a firewood dealer.
A spokesperson for the Kashmir Power Development Corporation (KPDCL) acknowledged the strain on the power grid, citing increased winter demand as the cause of frequent outages. “We are trying our best to follow the load shedding schedule that has been announced already. However, due to overloading of the circuit, distribution transformers and other allied infrastructure sometimes gets damaged, leading to longer power cuts,” the official explained.
Despite having a reserve of transformers to mitigate disruptions, the spokesperson admitted that damage spikes during the colder months. “Our staff is doing its job. We request people to use electricity judiciously and as per their load agreement,” he added.
Meanwhile, traffic officials have urged drivers to exercise caution on icy roads, warning that early morning layers of ice have made travel increasingly hazardous.
(With inputs from agencies)
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