Chillai-Kalan, the harshest 40-day winter period, has begun with a strong cold wave. Srinagar experienced its coldest December night in over two decades.
Since 1990, Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded its coldest December night at minus 8.5 degrees Celsius. This is the third lowest December temperature recorded in Srinagar in the last 133 years.
In South Kashmir, Shopian recorded a low of minus 10.4 degrees Celsius, while Anantnag was even colder at minus 10.5 degrees Celsius. Pulwama saw temperatures drop to minus 10.3 degrees Celsius, and Kulgam recorded minus 6.8 degrees Celsius.
Chillai-Kalan starts on December 21 and ends on January 31. It is followed by Chillai-Khurd, a 20-day period of “small cold” from January 31 to February 19, and Chillai-Bachha, a 10-day “baby cold” period from February 20 to March 2.
The term Chillai-Kalan comes from Persian and means “Major Cold.”
