Surviving the Chill: How kashmiris learned to live with winter

RK News
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12 Dec 2025

ZAHID IQBAL SHEIKH It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention, and nowhere does this saying hold truer than in Kashmir. From ancient times, when early humans lived in pits and caves, to the present era of modern heating appliances, the people of Kashmir have continuously developed unique ways to survive some of the harshest winters in the Indian subcontinent. This long journey of adaptation, innovation, and resilience has unfolded over thousands of years. Winter has not merely been a season here—it has been a force that shaped lifestyle, architecture, social practices, and technological creativity. It taught the common Kashmiri how to combat cold, and over time, Kashmiris developed an entire range of heating techniques that make them distinct among other cold-climate communities of South Asia. Human mastery of fire dates back nearly 1.5 to 2 million years, with clear evidence from Swartkrans in South Africa and sites in Kenya. In the Indian subcontinent, the earliest signs of controlled fire, discovered at the Main Belan archaeological site in Uttar Pradesh, date to around 50,000–55,000 years ago. While fire became central to human survival everywhere, the people of Kashmir adapted it in particularly innovative ways. One of the earliest examples is the Daan or Danbur, the traditional hearth that served Kashmiri households for centuries. It was far more than a cooking place: it provided heat, allowed water to be boiled in clay or copper tanks known as mat’e, and acted as the very centre of domestic life during long frozen months. For generations, the Daan remained the primary source of warmth inside traditional Kashmiri homes. Building upon this deep historical background, it becomes clear that fire was not only a technological achievement but also a cultural anchor. In Kashmir’s harsh winters—where temperatures often dropped drastically and snow covered the landscape for weeks—the Daan offered a space for family interaction, storytelling, and everyday living. It shaped architectural patterns, influenced social habits, and became inseparable from the rhythm of rural and urban life. Even as modern heating methods emerged, the memory of the Daan continued to symbolize warmth, community, and continuity in Kashmiri tradition. As society evolved, Kashmiris introduced another device—the Kangri, a portable firepot woven from wicker and filled with glowing embers. The Kangri is not just a heating tool; it is a cultural symbol, woven into everyday winter life. It can be tucked beneath the pheran, held inside blankets, or placed under the feet—practices rarely seen in any other cold region. This distinctive manoeuvring of the kangri was also noted by G. T. Vigne in the 19th century. The finest Kangris traditionally came from Chrar-e-Sharief, Bandipora, and Kulgam. Although we lack precise evidence about when Kangris came into use, historical references show that by the 15th century they were already widespread. When Sheikh-ul-Alam (Nund Rishi) passed away around 1438, tradition records that he was buried with a Chrar-Kangri, signalling its deep cultural importance even at that time. Another method to keep warm was the hamam, essentially an improvisation of the Turkish bath. As Saleem Beg, convener of the Jammu & Kashmir chapter of INTACH, notes, “The hamam has Turkish origins but Kashmir was never ruled by Turks. Since the Afghans who ruled Kashmir took pride in their Turkic origins, we can say that the hamam’s origins lie in Central Asia.” The hamam, a stone-floored heating system used mostly by well-off families and in mosques, is heated from below by firewood, allowing it to radiate warmth for hours and serve as a cherished winter haven. With technological advancement, the traditional hamam has found a modern, more affordable counterpart—the electric hamam, now widely installed in homes and valued for its efficiency, and low maintenance. This system, whether traditional or modern, represents one of the most significant architectural adaptations developed in Kashmir to cope with its long, severe winters. The hamam not only provided warmth but also influenced the design of residential and religious buildings, creating comfortable communal spaces during periods of intense cold. It reflected the social status of families who could afford such a structure and became a symbol of comfort, hospitality, and cultural refinement. Today, even with changing lifestyles, the hamam continues to hold emotional and practical value, connecting contemporary households with a centuries-old legacy of thermal ingenuity. Another significant addition to Kashmiri winter life has been the bukhari, a cylindrical metal heating appliance in which firewood or charcoal is burned to generate warmth. It became especially common among households that could not afford a hamam or needed to heat larger rooms. Over time, the bukhari has undergone continuous innovation, expanding from traditional wood-burning models to LPG gas bukharis and even being supplemented in many homes by modern electrical appliances such as room heaters. This diversification has broadened heating options across the Valley. Among the newest and most popular developments are the Turkish bukharis, which combine aesthetic elegance with efficient heating and have gained prominence in Kashmiri homes. The popularity of the bukhari reflects both cultural continuity and technological adaptation in response to Kashmir’s harsh winters. In many households, the bukhari is not merely a heating device but a focal point of evening gatherings, where families sit together, share conversations, and enjoy moments of comfort. Its evolution also mirrors broader economic and social changes, as people shift from traditional practices to more convenient and energy-efficient alternatives. Whether in its simple metal form or its modern Turkish variant, the bukhari remains an enduring symbol of warmth, resilience, and the ingenuity of Kashmiri winter living. Taken together, these innovations—from the ancient Daan to the Kangri, from the Hamam to the modern Bukhari—tell a remarkable story of human adaptability. For thousands of years, Kashmiris have responded to extreme cold with creativity, transforming necessity into culture and survival into artistry. Today’s modern appliances represent only the latest chapter in a long history of resilience, ingenuity, and the unbroken relationship between Kashmiris and their winter climate. Their present-day heating practices are not isolated inventions but the outcome of an evolutionary journey shaped by the demands of geography and the spirit of a people determined to thrive despite the cold. (Author is Doctoral Fellow at Department of History, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad. Feedback: Sheikhzahid0001@gmail.com)