FIVE MONTHS OF HARSH WINTERS.

After mild summers ,kashmir faces harsh winters

mainly from october to feberuary ,temperature -2*C
to 12*C . the period from late december to january is
known as chilai kalan , along with heavy snofall with
large nights and small days . Chillai kalan is a perod
of coldest part of winters ,starting from 21 december
to 29 january every year . this period consisit of 40
days . the minimum temperature hovers below the
freezing pont. taps gets freezed even the famous Dal
- Lake gets frozen during Chilai Kalan .

In kashmir Chilai Kalan is welcomed with huge

energy and enthusiasm. it is celebrated as a cultural
event mostly in Tagore Hall by A.C.T (actors
creative theater ) . during this event many dances
,dramas ,shows are organised related to kashmir and
its winters .

Early before starting of Chilai Kalan people buys

kangri(fire pots) ,coal ,wood to burn ,and most
importantly dry vegetables and fishes as a stock .

DRY VEGETABLES
in kashmiri dry vegetables are called HOKH SYUN
.the famous dried vegetables are tomato
,pumpkin,fish also called HOKH GAD ,turnip,
brinjal and even meat also .people hang garlands on
the walls or in balcony of the houses .they do it
inorder to survive the harsh winters .In the valley
food can be grown only before snowfall and even
after snowfall the trucks carrying goods,commedities
and vegetables can't cross the Banihal tunnel due to
snow and slippery roads and highway gets closed. so
inorder to end dependendence people dry vegetables
,fishes and kept them as a stock. In market these
dried vegetables are sold at very high rates .

hokh gaad is a small lean fish are cleaned gutted and

hung from strings to dry . then they are soaked in
hot water and then cooked with tamato or other
vegetables also .also the dried fish is mashed and
cooked which is called Hokh gaad chyott means
chuttney.

medium fishes are layed on grass and then burnt

.when they get rosted they are took from ashes of
grass and put under the light of sun .this fish is
called Pharii .
in kashmir people also make sattu , smash powder of
rice , barley,flour or gram and use it with namkeen
chai especially .

apart from all one of the famous dish of kashmir is

harisaa .this is mostly made and sold in shops during
kashmir faces freezing temperature , it is made up of
meat and eaten with bread called kandur chot't . in
this the meat is chopped and cooked with small
amount of rice flour with spices like
garlic,pepercorns , clove,fennel sseds ,cinnamom ,
cardamom,dried ginger powder and militered
milk ,untill it becomes pasty .

at last harsh winters end in kashmir .snow start

melting and rays of sun start falling on the valley .