Srinagar, , 15-Oct: Even though it’s the middle of autumn, in parts of Kashmir it seems like winter. Cold temperatures have brought unseasonal snowfall at higher reaches of the valley.
The autumn sun losing its vigour, the tall chinar trees looking bare with their green leaves turning reddish brown and Kangri’s and woollen jackets being up for grabs, all suggest that winter is here and it is time to prepare for a long cold season.
With temperature dipping down with each passing day, the sale of warm clothes is registering enormous surge in the Town. “There is no other option except to buy winter clothes to beat the cold,” Nasir, a resident of Awantipora said.
“I am not shopping in panic. I am trying to buy a warm and cozy jacket. Winters are long and people spend most of the time indoors,” says a shopper, Adil Yousuf.
“The number of customers from last week has witnessed an overwhelming increase due to dip in mercury. People from different parts of the valley come to this market and purchase goods according to their requirements,” a vendor, selling jackets at Lal chowk said.
He said everyone in the market is doing a good business and hoped for the situation to remain peaceful so that they can earn their livelihood with dignity and honour.
“I am buying clothes for the winters as the cost of winter clothing spirals quickly. I am grabbing a few from here otherwise I shall have to spend extra money,” adds Nasir.
“From October onwards winter starts and we never leave the house without warm clothes. It rains often which makes the situation even worse. Doctors strongly advise us to wear several layers in the freezing temperature. Women, men, children and older people, all wear these warm clothes,” another customer said.
Winter in Kashmir is harsh with mercury dipping by December and January and the Kashmiris are bracing themselves for it.
Kashmir gears up for long winter
