Syed Faisal
Kashmir’s harsh winters are approaching and have always shaped the lifestyle, architecture and domestic traditions of its people. For generations, the Hamam a traditional room designed to retain heat through an underground or concealed heating system has served as an important feature of Kashmiri homes, mosques and community spaces. Traditionally, hamams were heated by burning firewood even somewhere today the practice remains the same, allowing people to remain warm during the prolonged winter months. However, changing lifestyles urbanisation and technological development have encouraged the emergence of electric hamams particularly in urban and semi-urban areas of the Kashmir Valley. The hamam culture of Kashmir has deep connections with Persian and wider Islamic architectural traditions.
Although heated bathhouses existed in different ancient societies, the hammam developed as a distinctive architectural institution across the Islamic world, incorporating earlier bathing traditions and regional innovations. Its introduction to Kashmir is commonly associated with the Mughal period, particularly the late sixteenth century, when Persian-influenced architectural practices became prominent in the Valley. Historic examples at Shalimar Bagh and Pari Mahal demonstrate the presence of hammams in Mughal-era architectural complexes, while later examples at Pathar Masjid and Khanqah-e-Moula reflect their growing religious and public significance. Over time, Kashmiris adapted the concept to the region’s harsh winters, transforming the hamam from a space associated with bathing into a heated communal room in homes and mosques. The traditional wood-fired system became an important part of Kashmiri domestic life and cultural identity.
Today, the emergence of electric hamams marks a further transformation, replacing or modifying traditional heating arrangements while raising questions about winter electricity consumption, affordability and equitable power distribution across urban and rural Kashmir. The growing popularity of electric hamams reflects a wider transition in household energy consumption. As people seek convenient, cleaner and more easily controlled heating systems electricity has increasingly become an alternative to traditional fuels. Yet this transition also raises important questions about electricity demand, infrastructure, affordability and the distribution of energy resources between urban and rural areas. Kashmir’s experience presents a significant policy challenge as how can urban households adopt modern heating technologies without increasing the burden on an already stressed electricity system, particularly during winter, when rural communities also depend heavily on electricity for lighting, cooking, water supply and essential services? The issue is not simply about the use of electric hamams; it is about equitable energy access, sustainable development and the relationship between changing urban consumption patterns and rural energy security. The traditional Kashmiri hamam is closely connected with the region’s cultural heritage. Built using materials and architectural techniques that retain heat, it provides warmth to several people within a shared space. Its conventional heating arrangement generally uses wood or other combustible fuels, although designs vary from household to household.
In recent years, some households have adopted electrically heated floors, heating elements or other electric systems that serve a similar purpose. These arrangements offer convenience, reduce the need to handle firewood and can provide controllable heating. They may also reduce indoor smoke associated with burning wood, depending on the design of the traditional system being replaced. However, the term “electric hamam” covers different technologies. Some systems may use relatively modest electrical loads, while others require substantial power to heat large floor areas or maintain warmth for extended periods. Their electricity consumption therefore depends on the system’s capacity, insulation, operating hours and household practices.
The increasing interest in electric heating should be understood within Kashmir’s broader urban transformation. New residential construction, changing housing preferences, rising expectations of comfort and access to modern appliances have influenced how people manage winter temperatures. Electric hamams are one example of how traditional practices are being adapted to contemporary living. Urban areas of Kashmir are experiencing changing patterns of domestic energy use. Alongside electric hamams, households increasingly depend on electric room heaters, heating blankets, water heaters and other appliances during winter. When these devices operate simultaneously, the demand for electricity can rise sharply particularly during cold mornings and evenings. Heating is especially energy intensive because it must compensate for low outdoor temperatures over extended periods.
“The core issue in Kashmir’s winter energy transition is preventing technological progress from widening the gap between urban and rural access to essential services. While urban areas need safe, energy-efficient heating, rural regions require dependable electricity for daily needs, healthcare, and economic life. A balanced policy should combine modernized heating, better insulation, upgraded power infrastructure, and equitable rural investment to ensure progress benefits both communities fairly while preserving cultural traditions.”
Unlike lighting or small electronic devices, electrical heating systems may operate for several hours continuously. Consequently even a limited number of high-capacity heating installations can contribute to substantial additional demand when used across many households. The possible impact of urban electric hamams on rural electricity is particularly important in a region where communities experience different levels of infrastructure development and access to services. Rural households in Kashmir depend on electricity for domestic lighting, agricultural activities, small businesses, irrigation where electrically powered systems are used, water pumping, education and healthcare. During winter, electricity becomes even more important because of the long nights and severe cold. Students require adequate lighting to study, shops and small enterprises need reliable power to operate and health facilities depend on electricity for essential equipment and basic services.
When the electricity network experiences high demand, rural consumers may be affected through scheduled power cuts, voltage instability or supply interruptions. However, it would be inaccurate to conclude that urban electric hamams alone are responsible for rural power shortages. Such shortages can arise from several interconnected factors, including increased overall demand, inadequate distribution infrastructure, transmission constraints, maintenance requirements, technical losses and the availability of electricity supplied to the region. Addressing the challenges associated with electric hamams requires a balanced strategy that recognises the needs of urban households while protecting rural electricity access.
Conduct A Comprehensive Energy Survey: Electricity authorities and research institutions should assess the number, capacity and average operating hours of electric hamams across the Valley. Such evidence would help distinguish their contribution from other sources of winter electricity demand. Promote energy-efficient hamam designs: Manufacturers, engineers and local architects should encourage systems that combine effective insulation, efficient heating elements and suitable temperature controls.
Heat-retaining construction can reduce the time and electricity required to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.Strengthen rural electricity infrastructure: Investment in transformers, distribution lines, substations and maintenance should prioritise areas with recurring supply problems. Rural electricity reliability should be treated as an essential development objective rather than a secondary concern. Encourage solar energy and other suitable alternatives: Rooftop solar systems can contribute to household electricity needs when conditions permit. However, solar generation alone cannot reliably meet winter heating demand during cloudy weather or at night.
Appropriate storage, grid support and complementary heating options may therefore be necessary. Where technically and economically feasible, other renewable heating solutions should also be explored. Improve electricity demand management: Distribution authorities can study peak-demand patterns and encourage households to avoid unnecessary simultaneous use of high-powered appliances. Any proposed time-based incentives or other measures should be developed transparently, with consideration for household affordability and practical heating requirements.
Protect Vulnerable Consumers: Rural households, low-income families and essential services should be considered when designing electricity policies. Targeted support for insulation, efficient appliances and safe heating alternatives can reduce energy expenditure without compromising comfort or safety. Explore hybrid heating systems: A carefully designed combination of efficient electric heating, thermal storage and suitable alternative energy sources may reduce pressure during peak hours. The suitability of each option will depend on local conditions, installation costs and household needs.
Improve Public Participation: Local communities, village representatives, engineers, environmental groups and urban residents should participate in discussions about winter electricity planning. This would help ensure that energy policies respond to actual conditions rather than assumptions about the behaviour of particular communities. The real challenge is not to oppose modern heating technologies or to place urban and rural communities against one another. It is to ensure that technological progress does not deepen existing inequalities in access to essential services.
Urban residents deserve safe and comfortable homes, while rural communities deserve dependable electricity for education, healthcare, livelihoods and everyday life. A sustainable approach must therefore combine energy-efficient hamams, improved insulation, stronger electricity networks, renewable energy development, transparent demand management and equitable rural investment. Kashmir’s winter energy policy should be guided by a simple principle: modern comfort in urban areas must advance alongside reliable and affordable electricity for rural communities. By following this principle, the Valley can protect its cultural traditions, embrace technological change and work towards a fairer and more sustainable energy future.
(The author is working as correspondent with “ Kashmir Horizon” . The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
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