Chilla-i-Kalan, Kashmir’s harshest winter period starts

Kashmir on Tuesday witnessed mercury dipping below freezing points thus marking the start of the harshest 40 days period called Chilla-i-Kalan.

During this period, the cold wave grips the region and the temperatures constantly drop below freezing points leading to freezing water bodies including the famous Dal Lake.

On Wednesday, the valley saw the mercury dropping several notches below the freezing point in several places, including Pahalgam, which registered the lowest night temperature at minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, as per the officials.

Several places in Kashmir witnessed some of the coldest nights of the season so far. The Dal Lake froze, as well as the water in the taps, officials informed.

Srinagar saw the minimum temperature going down to minus 4.2 degrees Celsius recently, whereas the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district recorded minus 4.6 degrees Celsius.

Further, north Kashmir’s Kupwara saw the mercury settling down to as low as minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, minus 4.2 degrees Celsius in Qazigund, and minus 2.4 degrees Celsius in Kokernag

Chillai-Kalan will continue till the end of January, although the cold wave will continue even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day Chillai-Khurd (small cold), and a 10-day Chillai-Bachha (baby cold).