Srinagar, January 28: A severe cold wave has taken hold of the Kashmir Valley, with temperatures plummeting below freezing. Residents and tourists alike are braving the sub-zero conditions, donning heavy layers of clothing and seeking warmth by bonfires.
As per the Indian Meteorological Department, today's minimum temperature in Srinagar was around minus 3 degrees Celsius.
Despite the challenges posed by the cold weather, many tourists are revelling in the experience. Many tourists are enjoying the chilly weather at Dal Lake.
A tourist from Kolkata, Shayan Roy said, "I am from Kolkata. It is very cold here. It is going to be minus 5 or 7 degrees in Srinagar. I have 2-3 layers of the jacket to protect myself from cold. I have a heater provided in my room. I have hot water provided in my room. It's very cold. Especially my hands and feet are frozen at night. The view of Dal Lake is very beautiful. And this is the most beautiful lake in India, everyone should come here. Even I am here for the fourth time. I like Kashmir so much. So I try to come here again and again. And every season, the shape of the lake is different. My purpose for coming here was snowfall, which I didn't get this time. Last year also, there were late snowfalls."
Another tourist from Punjab, Manoj Kumar Mittal said "It was very cold, the temperature was minus 6-7 degrees. It is very cold at this time. We have to wear a cap. We are from Punjab. We have come for the first time with the family. It was a very good experience. We have to wear a jacket. This is heaven. Kashmir is heaven. I had heard that the heaven is in Kashmir. But now I have come and seen it. Sonmarg, Gulmarg. I enjoyed it a lot."
However, the cold wave has also disrupted daily life in the region. Several roads, including the Gurez-Bandipora road and Dawar-Tulail road, were closed due to heavy snowfall, but restoration work is underway.
As the cold wave continues to grip Kashmir and other parts of North India, tourists and locals alike are braving the elements to enjoy the winter wonderland.
Notably, "Chillai Kalan" is the Kashmiri term for a 40-day period of intense winter cold in the Kashmir Valley, starting on December 21st and ending on January 29th each year, characterized by heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures; essentially, it refers to the coldest part of the winter in Kashmir.
In Delhi, the temperature has also taken a dip, with a minimum temperature of 6.6 degrees Celsius recorded on Tuesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rain in the national capital on February 1 and foggy conditions for the next four days.
The minimum temperature recorded in the national capital was 6.6 degrees Celsius with a thin layer of fog covering parts of Delhi this morning. Yesterday, the minimum temperature was 7.8 degrees Celsius.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rain in the national capital for February 1.
The Met Department has also predicted foggy conditions for the four days starting from January 28. The minimum temperature is expected to hover between 7-11 degrees Celsius.
The temperature has dropped since Thursday, when the national capital recorded a low of 11 degrees Celsius.
According to the IMD, cold wave conditions are very likely to prevail in isolated pockets of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana today.
