Kangris still first choice to keep Kashmir warm

With electricity supply erratic this winter, kangri — the traditional earthen firepot woven in wicker — has emerged as an useful means to fight subzero temperatures in Kashmir.
Sales of kangri have almost doubled this winter compared to last year, people associated with this trade claimed and attributed it mainly to the erratic power supply.
The capping of subsidised LPG cylinders per household over the years and soaring prices of wood were listed as other factors that have forced the people to revert to use of kangris to keep themselves warm during winter.
“The sale of kangris was dipping every year over the past decade or so due to introduction of modern gadgets like heaters that used electricity, kerosene or LPG as fuel. However, as these fuels are not available readily now, people have started buying kangris again,” Ghulam Mohammad, a resident of Charar-e-Sharief who sells kangris for a living, said. Many areas of Kashmir, including Srinagar, face electricity outages ranging between six and 12 hours every day while only 12 subsidised LPG cylinders are provided to each household every year. Kerosene, which was widely used to fuel the heaters, has also become a rarity with each household getting only two litres per month at subsidised rates. Mohammad said this had led to a spur in sales of kangris. “I used to sell 10 to 15 kangris every day at the start of the winter season. However, the sales this year improved and I sell anywhere between 20 and 25 kangris each day.”

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