“Reviving Tradition: How Kashmir Rely on Kangris and Hammams During Power Outages”

Srinagar, Dec 22: The inhabitants of Kashmir are reverting to traditional methods of dealing with the severe cold-wave conditions due to frequent and unplanned power outages that have rendered modern heating appliances ineffective. Kashmir is currently experiencing Chillai Kalan, the 40-day most severe winter phase.

Srinagar city experienced the coldest night in 33 years, with the minimum temperature plummeting to a frigid minus 8.5 degrees Celsius on Saturday.

Various locations in Kashmir also faced extremely low temperatures, causing the water supply lines to freeze in several regions.

In recent decades, urban Kashmiri residents had moved away from traditional heating methods – wood-based ‘hammams’, ‘bukharis’, and wicker-clay pot ‘kangri’ – as the electricity supply had improved significantly year after year.

Nevertheless, with Kashmir undergoing one of the most severe winters in recent history, electricity in most regions is, at its best, unreliable, making electric heating appliances ineffective.

“In the last few years, we had gotten accustomed to using electric devices for warmth. With daily cuts lasting 12 hours, we have now reverted to using kangris,” stated Yasir Ahmad, a resident of Gul Bahar Colony in the Hyderpora district of Srinagar.

Ahmad is disappointed that his investment in installing an air conditioning unit has “gone to waste”.

Abdul Ahad Wani, who lives in the Rainawari district of the old city, mentioned that he had switched his wood-fired hamam to one powered by electricity.

“I believed that the wood hamam was inconvenient and that the electric version would be preferable as it operates at the push of a button. Those in power seem to have a knack for proving us incorrect,” Wani remarked.

The scarcity of LPG and kerosene in the market has led to a profitable situation for vendors of traditional fuels like wood and charcoal.

“All I can state is that this winter has seen a strong demand for wood. People need to keep warm, and nothing compares to wood during such times,” said Muhammad Abbas Zargar, a firewood merchant.

An official from the Kashmir Power Development Corporation (KPDCL) remarked that while there is load shedding due to a sharp increase in demand during winter, reports of 16-hour cuts are exaggerated.

“We are striving to adhere to the load-shedding plan that has been announced previously. However, due to circuit overloads, distribution transformers and other related infrastructure occasionally get damaged, resulting in prolonged power outages,” he explained.

The official noted that although KDPCL had established a transformer reserve to minimize service disruptions, the frequency of transformer failures surged significantly during the winter.

“Our personnel is carrying out their duties. We urge the populace to use electricity wisely and in line with their load agreements,” he added.

In the meantime, traffic authorities have advised drivers to operate their vehicles slowly and cautiously as many roads are coated in ice during the early morning hours, making them treacherous.