Srinagar, Dec. 14 -- Chillai Kalan, the harshest phase of Kashmiri winter, occurs from December 21 to January 29 every year. It is followed by Chillai Khurd of 20 days and Chillai Bach of 10 days. Among these, Chillai Kalan has always been the most intense and defining period, forming the true identity of Kashmiri winter. It is not merely a seasonal cycle but a cultural, emotional, and climatic hallmark of the Valley.

The charm of winter in Kashmir truly began with Chillai Kalan, when the mercury dipped far below zero. Everything froze, from water taps to flowing streams, rivers, and lakes. As a child of the 1990s, I still vividly remember those mornings when we woke up to find water frozen in buckets, milk solidified in pots, and frost ...