Frozen Kashmir

Although winter in Kashmir is a 'season' for tourists who look into get into the chilliness of the valley, for some, that is a challenging period - a challenge to survive. Chillai-Kalan is a 40-day harsh winter period that started on December 21. It will usually last till January last week.

This year, the Kashmir valley has seen the temperature dipping to as low as minus 6.8 degrees Celsius. Most deaths of elderly take place during this biting weather, frost bites are common, and chances of road accidents increase. In rural areas, fetching water, wood and supplies for home becomes a herculean task too.