As the winter knocks the doors, people in Indian administered Kashmir are busy with storing various essential commodities and warm cloths to tackle with the cold days in a traditional manner they have been doing since long.

“One cannot live in Kashmir without having sufficient arrangements to fight with cold and road blockades in winter days particularly when the valley is covered with heavy snow,” Mudasir Ahmad Ganai of Brintibatpora in south Kashmir told OnIslam.net.

“In November, people start preparing for winter and store various essential commodities particularly coal, firewood, rice, dry vegetables besides purchasing warm clothing to fight cold.

“We have almost finished the winter preparations and have stored sufficient material for the winter season,” Mudasir told Onislam.net, adding though the rates of coal, rice and dry vegetables are high but people are negotiating the rates keeping in view the winter days.

Mudasir efforts to store coal and food material before winter were common ahead of winter season in Kashmir.

Every year, heavy snowfalls and temperatures dip as low as 40 degrees in some areas in Kashmir mountains during winter season.

Passing by harsh winter seasons all through her life in Tangmarg area of North Kashmir, Muneera believes that keeping everything in stock for winters helps people to counter freezing weather.

“I am running in 45 and have seen even such winters when roads were restored after fifteen days and it was really tough to manage daily needs,” Muneera told OnIslam.net

“I still remember my grandmother used to collect firewood and make coal after burning it in open fields and later store it for winter,” she said adding, even the traditional Kangri’s (firepots) were purchased even for the children.

Another villager, Attaullah Khan from Uri in north Kashmir, was seen purchasing warm clothes in busy Sunday market in Srinagar for his family.

“Everyone who lives in Kashmir has to get prepared for the next five months of chill atmosphere,” he told Onislam.net

“Maximum number of people used to migrate to other region of the state and even the labor class move to other states for earning their lively-hood keeping behind their families to fight cold season.

“The roads get blocked; far flung areas gets cut off from cities and towns, electricity gets affected even remains off for weeks together,” Khan added.

“Most of the areas remain cut off for months together rendering people helpless in absence of adequate facilities.”

Profitable Business

Though winter brings many woes to Kashmiri families, some professions await the season to boost their businesses, such as ‘fire-pot’ makers, known in Kashmir as Kangri.

“The traditional furan is used to keep the firepot inside to provide heat to the body, though it is unhealthy to use,” Mohd Younis of Bandipora told OnIslam.net.

Locally known as Kanial ‘Shakshaz’, a particular community who make these fire pots, earn a handsome amount from the Kangri making business besides the porters locally known as kraal or Kumar also earn their lively-hood, Younis said.

Mohd Jabar a local Kangri maker, runs his business and makes thousands of Kangri’s ‘fire-pots’ annually.

“This trade is very famous in Kashmir and we used to earn our daily need out of it,” says Jabar.

Another man who is associated with the Kangri making business told Onislam.net that he earns thousands of rupees in the month of October and November every year.

“I collect the Kangri’s from local Kangri makers and sell them in cities”, he added.

Other people collect the fire woods for winter as they cannot afford expensive heaters.

“We are poor and hilly people and don’t have avenues like heaters, gas connections so we prepare food with firewood,” Saja Begum from the village Vailoo in south Kashmir said.

“Using fire wood is the best option to prepare food as it also provides us coal for the Kangri’s.

“Though people in cities use Gas and power for cooking food but in villages people still use the traditional ways and means while fighting cold in winters,” she added.

The power supply remains cut-off for weeks together in rural belts due to heavy snow, she added.

Festive Season

While the elders remain busy for winter preparations, younger generations await the season to play in snow and enjoy cold days.

“We enjoy a lot in winters particularly when we go to tuition walking down on snowy roads,” Ulfat Hassan of south Kashmir, told OnIslam.net adding during winter vacations we go to study centers for tuitions.

“We have to be very careful in coldest days like from December to February end and as the climate during these three months remains chilled.

“We have heard from ancestors that when rats are more it snows more in winters and this year the rates are found everywhere so we have to prepare for the harsh winter,” she added.

Meanwhile, the local government has promised arrangements to help the villagers survive winter.

“We are fully equipped to fight the winter and the problems arise out of it,” Ab Majid Wani, Minister for Roads and Buildings government of Jammu and Kashmir, told OnIslam.net.

He said that his department has set up two control rooms at Jammu and Srinagar. Another control room has opened at Shaltang Srinagar where experts receive messages from the Deputy commissioners.

“Hi-tech Snow machines are used to clear snow from roads and even Dozers are also kept at disposal of the district Mechanical engineering department for emergency purposes,” Wani told Onislam.net.

“Taking charge of the department last year, I kept personal monitoring as I also belong to the hill district,” he claimed.

Similarly Department of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department claims to have transported the adequate supplies of all the essential commodities to every nook and corner of the state.

“We have number of ration stores at each district where from adequate supply of essential commodities is sent to the hilly areas before the winter starts,” an official of supplies CAPD department Kashmir wishing not to be named told OnIslam.net.

He added that ration including wheat and sugar are given every month to the Card holders and those living below poverty line.

Government has also setup a disaster management cell being monitored by the Divisional Commissioner’s office Kashmir and young people have been trained to rescue people in the eventuality of any emergency.

“We have framed Disaster management cells even at district and Tehsil levels where the young people voluntarily work and keep vigil during road closers, snow tsunami”, an official from disaster management cell told Onislam.net.

Department of Metrology has predicted for a harsh winter this year, however none of the official of could be contacted to comment on the subject.

http://www.onislam.net/english/news/asia-pacific/466799-freezing-winter-awaits-kashmiris.html

https://en.islamstory.com/en/artical/16348/freezing-winter-awaits-kashmiris