Severe cold wave conditions continued in the Valley regions too for the fifth consecutive days and many water-bodies including waterfalls, lakes, streams and even taps have frozen as the harshest 40-day period of winter, locally known as ‘Chillai Kalan’, beginning from Tuesday ( December 21) in the Kashmir Valley.
Kashmir’s winter pans out in three stages starting with a 40-day intense period from December 21 (locally called Chillai Kalan) followed by 20 more days which are less intense (Chillai Khurd) and then 10 days of mild cold (Chille Bache). Chillai-Kalan is the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir that begins December 21 and ends on January 31. Chillai Kalan is a Persian term which means “major cold” while the intense cold conditions are known as ‘Jaada’ in north and east India.