Chillai Kalan makes its icy entrance

Srinagar, Dec 20: Amid severe electricity crisis in Kashmir, Chillai Kalan (major cold), the 40-day period of intense cold and harsh winter, will begin on Saturday and end on January 29.

This is followed by Chillai Khurd (small cold), the 20-day period from January 30 to February 18, and Chillai Bachha (baby cold), the 10-day period from February 19 to February 28.

The term ‘Chillai Kalan’ literally means major cold in Persia, but it perfectly describes the shivering cold that chills Kashmir during this period.

During Chillai Kalan, Kashmir experiences freezing temperatures, nights becoming extra chilled, and the daytime temperatures remain in single digits.

This snowfall freezes pretty quickly and lasts longer as glaciers are replenished with rivers, streams, and lakes getting fed during summer.

Interestingly, snowfall takes place after Chillai Kalan melts much faster.

However, this season any major change in weather is not expected till December 26 and the dry spell seems to be prolonged.

Recently, the Chillai Khurd and Chillai Bachha periods have often received lesser snowfall and are even colder than Chillai Kalan.

The haphazard power supply has aggravated the difficulties of tolerating this extreme season.

Historically, the Kashmiris used to rely on preserved food and traditional practices to survive the harsh winter.

Families would dry vegetables like tomatoes, turnips, brinjals, and gourds during summer to ensure a steady supply of food when Kashmir would remain cut off from the rest of the country.

Though this culture has become rare in cities and towns due to the enhanced Srinagar-Jammu National Highway connectivity, it is still alive in far-flung regions.

‘Hokh Gard’ in Kashmiri is known as dried fish and is popular for its taste during winter.

People cover their windows with plastic sheets to keep out the freezing air.

For most families, Kangris, the traditional firepots, are essential.

Well-to-do households huddle together in hammams, the rooms with limestone floors warmed by burning firewood in an underlying hearth.

Masjids with hammams also provide warm communal spaces for people to socialise after prayer.

Many families would mark the first day of Chillai Kalan by preparing Shabdeg, a traditional dish.

A fat duck is cooked overnight in an earthen vessel with turnips and spices.

By the morning, the homes are filled with the aroma of the richly simmered duck.

Although this tradition has slowly disappeared, it is still part of the Kashmiri legacy of delicious cuisine.

Every winter, as the snow starts falling and the temperature drops, the head of the Meteorological Department in Kashmir, becomes a celebrity.

Residents wait eagerly for his weather updates before venturing out into the chill, making him an indispensable figure during the Chillai Kalan period.

With better connectivity and access to fresh produce year-round, some of the traditional methods like drying vegetables are disappearing in urban areas.

However, the essence of Chillai-Kalan - a season of resilience, warmth, and community - lies deep in the lives of Kashmiris, who always seem to adapt and rise even through the harshest of winters.

Sonam Lotus, a noted meteorologist and former MeT Director said that no major weather activity is expected for the rest of December.

However, he said that there could be a light weather spell around December 28, though it would not be substantial.

Lotus predicted two major snow spells in J&K and Ladakh.

“In January, there are likely chances of two major snow spells in J&K and Ladakh,” he said, suggesting a more active weather pattern in the first month of the year 2025.

Lotus said that February would see periodic spells of snowfall, which could further intensify the cold conditions.