Explained: What Is 'Chillai Kalan' – Kashmir’s Intense 40-Day Cold

Srinagar: On December 20, Kashmir recorded its coldest winter night in the last 50 years, with temperatures plunging to a frigid minus 8.5 degrees Celsius. This marked Srinagar's coldest December night since 1974 when the temperature dropped to minus 10.3 degrees Celsius. It was also the third coldest December night in the city since 1891.

The extreme cold came just one day before the onset of Chillai Kalan, a 40-day period of intense winter in Kashmir. Mukhtar Ahmed, Director of the MeT Department in Srinagar, explained that December and January are typically the coldest months in the region. 

Chillai Kalan begins on December 21 and lasts until January 30, coinciding with the sun's movement from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere. The ten days before and after the winter solstice are the harshest of the winter season in Kashmir.

During this period, minimum temperatures remain below freezing, with frequent snowfall that replenishes the region's glaciers and reservoirs, vital water sources for the summer months.

Kashmiris have long adapted to the extreme winter conditions, with traditional heating methods such as woo-fired hearths giving way to modern alternatives like Bikharis, gas stoves, and electric heaters. Following Chillai Kalan, the region experiences 'Chillai Khurd', a milder 20-day winter phase, followed by 'Chillai Bacha', a 10-day period of even more moderate weather.