Chillai Kalan arrives

Srinagar, Dec 20: One of the harshest winter periods of 40 days - Chillai Kalan – would begin in Kashmir from Thursday even as an intense cold wave gripped Kashmir on Wednesday.

Chillai Kalan is a Persian term meaning ‘major cold’.

The ongoing cold wave would reach its peak with Kashmir’s mountains covered in snow for weeks, and the Dal Lake also reaching the freezing point.

The harshest period of this winter will begin on a dry note in Kashmir from Thursday.

The mountains in Kashmir are covered with very thick layers of snow and the lakes have started freezing partially.

While the Chillai Kalan begins on December 21, it will end on January 29.

The cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long Chillai Khurd (small cold) and a 10-day-long Chillai-Bachha (baby cold).

Chillai Kalan has an impact on the daily lives of the people of Kashmir.

Pheran and the conventional Kangri, the fire pot are used more frequently.

During this time, tap water pipelines partially freeze and heavy snowfall occurs in tourist destinations like Gulmarg and Sonamarg.

Sub-zero temperatures in Kashmir force residents in the hilly areas to bring a huge quantity of firewood to their homes, where it would be burned and used for heating and cooking food.

The snow in Kashmir refills the streams, rivers, and lakes during this time and lasts longer.

COLD GRIPS KASHMIR

Unabated cold conditions gripped Kashmir on Wednesday with Srinagar recording a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius.

“There is a likelihood of light rains and snowfall over the higher reaches on December 23,” the Meteorological Department officials said. “From December 24 to 28, the weather is expected to be generally dry. Overall there is no significant weather activity till December 28.”

Severe cold conditions led to the freezing of water taps as well as the freezing of water bodies at many places in Srinagar and other districts.

“Today minimum temperature in Srinagar was down by 0.7 degrees Celsius from the previous minus 3.7 degrees Celsius recorded the previous night and it was 2.7 degrees Celsius below normal,” the MeT officials said.

They said that Gulmarg ski resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius against minus 6.6 degrees Celsius the previous night and the temperature was 0.4 degrees Celsius above normal.

The MeT officials said that Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius against minus 6.9 degrees Celsius the previous night (the coldest so far this season) and it was 1.9 degrees Celsius below normal for the health resort.

They said Kokernag recorded a minimum of minus 3.3 degrees Celsius against minus 3.1 degrees Celsius the previous night and the temperature was below normal by 1.4 degrees Celsius for the place in south Kashmir.

The MeT officials said that Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 4 degrees Celsius against minus 4.2 degrees Celsius the previous night and the minimum temperature was 2.4 degrees Celsius below normal.

They said Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius against minus 3.8 degrees Celsius the previous night and it was 1.1 degrees Celsius below normal.

The MeT officials said Jammu recorded a minimum of 6.4 degrees Celsius against 5.7 degrees Celsius the previous night, and it was below normal by 2.5 degrees Celsius.

Banihal recorded 5.4 degrees Celsius, Batote 5 degrees Celsius, and Bhaderwah 1.4 degrees Celsius.