Winter Preparedness in Kashmir

Onset of winter brings many thoughts that are both nostalgic and often representative of the harshness of the weather. People of Kashmir and winter are integral. Life in Kashmir cannot be imagined without winter. It has shaped the place consciousness of Kashmir among the Kashmiris and the people who yearn for Kashmir. The ancient description of Kashmir is found in the Nilmat Puran that gives the vivid description of the people and places. It situates Kashmir and its emergence in a comprehensive manner. It defines the climatic reasons for the peculiar food habits of Kashmiris with respect to the climatic conditions. Not only that it prescribes the various foods required to be consumed in winter and other seasons. But when read clinically the Nilmat Puran gives reasons with rationality for food to be used in winter and other seasons. The ritualistic traditions defined in this treatise have stood the test of the times and are carried forward even today by the Kashmiris wherever they are. It presents winters as harsh and also delves at length on the resourcefulness of the natives to deal with the harsh conditions. It goes to the credit of Kashmiris that they proved their prowess to eat the winter and use the hostility of nature as an opportunity to convert it into a part of their lifestyle; whether in terms of clothing or food habits. An interesting reference that comes to the fore while reading the Nilmat Puran is about the Nava Himpat Utsav (Nau Sheen).That is the first snowfall. Kashmiris celebrated the first snowfall as the boon of nature and the blessing of the Almighty for the Kashmiris. It tells about the character of the Kashmiris, proving them as a people who love happiness and prosperity. Kashmir has emerged from ancient times as the society that has excelled in all muses. As a place it has indeed been dear to all the muses. Kashmir has produced innovators, scholars, singers and maestros of all hues that have added to the aesthetics and beauty of Kashmir. Kashmir is beautiful because of both people and places that have enriched the land of their ancestors with their genius and spread the essence of scholarship to the neighbouring regions. But in present times the woes of Kashmiris multiplied due to various reasons. The primary being the apathy at various levels. The conflict that engulfed the region created a sense of pain in the people. They have tried to overcome it with their love for their native place. But winters add to their woes in different ways. It includes the non-availability of the essential commodities that are required on a daily basis. When the demand and supply equation is violated in the winter due to the emergency conditions it allows the black marketers to indulge in malpractices leading to the miseries of the people. Administration must use its writ to mitigate the miseries of the people in the winter by enforcing the laws meant to keep the essential supplies in order. Both electricity and water management have the worst challenges for the people in Kashmir in winters. Now the change in weather pattern has also added to the people’s woes. It is now challenging to predict the weather with accuracy as the global weather changes are having a severe impact on the climate. In such a situation the administration must work on war footing to use pre-emptive measures to address the winter challenges of people in Kashmir. Let us hope that the improved facilities and the traditional Kashmiri resilience will make Kashmir’s winter enjoyable and attract more tourist gaze.