Kashmir Preps for 40 Days of 'Chilla-i-Kalan', Valley's Harshest Winter Season | WATCH

The Kashmir valley is getting ready for ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, the 40 harshest winter period, as the minimum temperature remained several degrees below the freezing point on Wednesday, officials said.

The summer capital of Kashmir — Srinagar city — recorded a minimum temperature of 4.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday night, which was lower than previous night’s 3.7 degrees Celsius.

Pahalgam — situated in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district — which is one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius, officials noted.

Visuals from Srinagar show how the people of the valley are reeling under cold wave-like conditions with mercury dipping close to the freezing point.

The famous ski resort in Baramulla’s Gulmarg stood with a minimum temperature of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius. While the Qazigund recorded a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius, Kokernag town’s minimum temperature settled at minus 3.3 degrees Celsius and Kupwara’s low stood at minus 3.5 degrees Celsius.

The weather department has predicted usual dry weather conditions for the next few days in the valley as the minimum temperature is likely to drop further.

The dropping temperature has also led to the freezing of several slow moving water bodies and of water supply pipes in selective areas.

People have adopted the use of ‘kangri’ — an earthen firepot — to beat the cold weather, especially since the valley has a fluctuating electricity supply.

The 40 days of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ is the harshest winter season time in the valley. During this period, a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the frozen water bodies, including the famous Dal Lake, as well as the water supply pipelines across the valley.

The possibility of snowfall is the highest and also the maximum during this period. Primarily, the higher valley ranges are the ones that receive heavy snowfall.

‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ will begin on December 21 and conclude on January 31. However, the cold wave in the valley will continue even after that with a 20-day-long ‘Chilla-i-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chilla-i-Bachha’ (baby cold).