Srinagar, The Kashmir Valley is currently experiencing severe sub-zero temperatures as it enters ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, the 40-day period known for being the harshest part of winter. The region, already grappling with plummeting mercury levels, is now set to face even more extreme cold.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Srinagar, which serves as the summer capital of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, witnessed a significant drop in temperature. On Tuesday night, it recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, a decrease from the previous night’s minus 3.7 degrees Celsius. In Pahalgam, located in the south of Kashmir’s Islamabad district, temperatures plunged to minus 6.3 degrees Celsius. Similarly, the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district also recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius. Other areas such as Qazigund, Kokernag town, and Kupwara recorded temperatures of minus 4, minus 3.3, and minus 3.5 degrees Celsius, respectively.

This steep drop in temperature has led to the freezing of many slow-moving water bodies, and disruption in water supply as pipes freeze in several areas. The cold wave has also resulted in a spike in respiratory issues among children and the elderly. With erratic electricity supply plaguing many parts of Kashmir, residents are turning to traditional methods like using ‘kangri’, an earthen firepot, to cope with the cold.

‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ is not just a period of intense cold but also marks a time when the likelihood of snowfall is at its highest. This period often sees most areas, especially the higher reaches, receiving heavy snowfall. Famous water bodies, including the Dal Lake in Srinagar, often freeze during this time, affecting daily life and water supply. This intense cold wave is followed by ‘Chillai-Khurd’, a 20-day-long phase of somewhat milder cold, and ‘Chillai-Bachha’, a 10-day-long period of even milder winter conditions.