Kashmiris Embrace Tradition: Staying Warm with Kangris and Hamams During Harsh Winter Power Outages

Kashmir is currently experiencing Chilla-i-Kalan, the 40-day period of the most severe winter. Srinagar recorded its coldest night in 33 years, with temperatures plummeting to a bone-chilling minus 8.5 degrees Celsius on Saturday. Other regions in the valley also faced extreme sub-zero temperatures, resulting in the freezing of water supply pipes in various areas.

In recent decades, residents of urban Kashmir had abandoned traditional heating methods — wood-based ‘hamams’, ‘bukharis’, and wicker-claypot ‘kangri’ — as the electricity supply had improved over the years.

However, as Kashmir is undergoing one of its most severe winters in recent times, the electricity supply in most areas is sporadic at best, rendering electric heating devices ineffective.

“In recent years, we had become accustomed to using electric devices to stay warm. With 12-hour outages every day, we’ve reverted to using kangris,” stated Yasir Ahmad, a resident of the upscale Gulbahar colony in Srinagar.

Ahmad believes that his investment in having an air conditioner installed at home has “gone to waste”.

Abdul Ahad Wani, who lives in the old city’s Rainawari area, mentioned that he had switched his wood-fueled hamam to an electric-powered one.

“I found using the wood hamam to be inconvenient, and thought an electric hamam would be better since it operates at the push of a button. Those in power have a tendency to prove us wrong,” Wani remarked.

With limited supplies of LPG and kerosene available in the open market, the electricity shortage has created a lucrative opportunity for sellers of traditional fuels such as wood and charcoal.

“All I can say is that the demand for wood has been strong this winter. People need to keep warm, and there’s nothing better than wood during these times,” said Mohammad Abbas Zargar, a firewood vendor.

A representative from the Kashmir Power Development Corporation (KPDCL) stated that while there has been load shedding due to a significant increase in demand during winter, claims of 16-hour outages are exaggerated.

“We are doing our utmost to adhere to the load shedding schedule that has already been announced. However, due to overwhelming demand…