Challiakalan has started and night temperature has reached minus 6 degree celcius.In the month of november our mountains were covered with snow a d it was expected that in the month of december our plains will be covered with snow but destiny has some different thing in place.In old times heavy snowfall was seen in this month and people prefered to stay indoors.Their work was ti weave grass mats and women were remaining busy with weaving of Yair and were also rearing animals such as cows and goats and were remaining busy with daily cores.People in villages were warming themselves by taking Khewa a kind of black tea treated best for health in cold days as per aurvedic treatment and people who got chest problems were provided Tetchai by which they remained good.people were using Zamades for many diseases.Many people especially men folk were going to other parts of the country for doing labour work to earn some meager money.Back home women were caring for the children and taming animals.Maximum number of people were living in houses made of mud and roofs of these houses were of straw.It was assumed that these houses were favourable keeping weather conditions of this paradise on earth in view.People were enjoying their life in a favourable manner.Children were reading in local areas and were playing with snow by making Snowman.In those days old people were heard saying as that snowing in the begining of Chaliakalan is very important for Kashmir. They were further saying this in kashmiri langualge Agar chaliakalanas sheen peyi wariyas rozi aab meaning that if it snows in challiakalan there will be no sacarcity of water throughout the year.
From last two decades things have changed and lifestyle has advanced tremendously.people have changed style of houses.instead of mud and straw people use cement and bajri. The style and material used have made the houses costly oriented.And these houses are not favourable with the weather conditions of valley.It is a fact that now Hamam has been introduced in new trend of construction which makes keeps the houses warm during these harsh 40 days long warm but it has many bad effects also such as one sits for long hours in this hot room with temperature more than 35 degrees suddenly comes outside in minus temperature gets exposure and suddenly falls ill. People needs to think a lot about these drastic changes in lifestyle and construction systems.Global warming has a great impact on us. Day by day our water resources get lack of water. Our valley is dependent on agriculture and horticulture for which plenty of water is needed. If it will not snow at this time it will have a dangerous impact on us especially on agriculture sector. We think it is good on our part that we walk on chappales in these days .We should open our hands long before Almighty and accept our sins then only the nature will remain kind on us.
(The author is Incharge District Record Room D C office Anantnag.The views, opinions, facts, assumptions, presumptions and conclusions expressed in this article are author’s own and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”.)
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