Chilai Kalan, also known as Chila-i-Kalan, is the name given to a 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir. It is the coldest winter spell in the valley, and commences on December 21 every year. It gets so cold that the Dal Lake freezes over.
In the current Chilai Kalan (or the big cold) period, large swathes of Kashmir are witnessing temperatures below freezing point. According to reports in local media, the temperature in Srinagar has dropped to minus 3.3 degrees Celsius. South Kashmir's Qazigund and Pahalgam recorded lows of minus 3.0 and 4.8 degrees Celsius, respectively. Gulmarg reported a low of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius. The temperature in Kupwara was minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.4 degrees Celsius.
With the arrival of Chilai Kalan, the cold wave deepens its grip on the region. Consistent subzero temperatures cause frozen water bodies which people can even walk on.
After many nights of heavy snowfall, there is a blanket of snow on the ground. The trees sag with the weight of snow, their branches stripped of late autumn foliage. People take out the winter pherans and namdas. Traditionally, people would carry a kanger, the traditional earthen pot with embers, to keep warm. When winter arrives, the foods also change. For instance, people use their collection of hokh syun, which are various vegetables that are sundried in late summer and fall and then stored for use in the winter.
Chilai Kalan concludes in Kashmir on January 31. However, the chilly spell in Kashmir remains long after this season has passed. It is followed by a 20-day winter spell called 'Chilai Khurd' (little cold) and a 10-day winter spell called Chillai Bachha (baby cold). Following this period, Kashmir's winter gradually transforms into a captivating spring season.