Kangri : The Kashmiri Heater!
AGRITA CHHIBBER
On a typical winter day, an ordinary Kashmiri departs his house for job duties in the early hours of the day, carrying a portable heater that the locals refer to as Kangri.
The portable firepot known as a kangri is the last resort for many people who are afraid of the bitter cold in Kashmir when there is no adequate electrical supply.
Kangris has long been an oasis of comfort and warmth for Kashmiris, making them an essential component of their wintertime existence. The common Kashmiri has nothing more than a portable firepot filled with embers to stay warm in the bitter weather, while the wealthy and powerful move to the plains in the winter to live in second homes.
All those who have traveled to Kashmir over the years have witnessed these typical Kashmiri things like a Pheran, a clay pot with burning charcoal within, and a long, loose shawl draped over it, to be a fascinating topic of conversation.
These days, whenever Kashmiris travel during the winter, they use the Kangri. Kangri is seen in the majority of the fruit mandis that Kashmir’s apple producers visit in the winter. In a year, Jammu alone consumes about 40,000 pieces of Kangri.
Currently, many experts have been writing Kangri’s death certificate for a while, particularly after modern technology became fashionable and the widespread use of hamams resulted from wealth, the fire pot is still a little source of income.
The warmth beneath the Kashmir Pherans is maintained by the vast network of materials, procedures, and craftspeople that make up the Kangri pyramid.
What is Kangri?
In addition to being worn by Kashmiris under their traditional garment, pheran, to keep the chill at bay, a kanger (pronounced [kãːgɨr] in Kashmiri) is an earthen pot woven around with wicker filled with hot embers. It is also considered an artistic creation.
Usually, it is stored inside a blanket, the Pheran, or the Kashmiri cloak. It is primarily utilized during Chillai Kalan’s chilly evenings. Its diameter is around 6 inches (150 mm), and its maximum temperature is approximately 150 °F (66 °C). It is available in two sizes: small for kids and large for adults. It is unknown where kangri originated.
Some historians from Kashmir assert that it is native, while others suggest that about 600 years ago, it was brought over from central Asia. Because of its resemblance to the scaldino, a medieval Italian clay brazier, some people even think it originated in Italy. This item is available in several designs, each with a limited use for certain events.
1. Sada Kangri: During the winter, everyone uses it to stay warm.
2. Zaildar Kangri, Dub Dar Kangri, and Door Dar Kangri: On significant occasions like Shlvratri, newlywed women receive these exquisitely carved Kangris from their parents and in-laws.
3. Shikari Kangri: Used by boatmen, this particular form of Kangri is unique due to its large size.
Historical Touch:
It is believed during the Mughal era, which lasted from 1526 to 1757, Kashmiris are said to have studied from the Italians. Scaldinos, a device similar to kangri, and braziers were created in a wide range of shapes in Spain and Italy.
Nevertheless, this assertion is not supported by any documentation. Even before to 1526, Kangri use has been documented in archives. Renowned Saint Sufi Sheikh Noor-u-din Wali, who lived from 1377 to 1440, observed a close bond between Kashmiri and Kangri people. Among the items he was interred with were his own Charari Kangri, which was one of his most valuable treasures.
Dr. W.F. Elmstic claims that during the Mughal era in India, Italian priests carried many aspects of Kashmiri culture and customs back to Italy, including the first Wanderer, a Jesuit father. This is how the Italians first learned about Kangri and its valley. The art of Kangri weaving flourished in Kashmir in the twelfth century as a result of Kashmiris in many parts of the valley learning the trade during this period and choosing to make it their primary source of income.
Kangri Rituals:
- Ritual associated with new Brides:
There are two to seven rows of motifs on the upper part of Kangris. Bridal kangri are called ze-zal (two chains), trea-zal (three chains), tchor-zal (four chains), and so on, up to sath-zal (six chains) (seven chains). These names correspond to the number of rounds that each kangri has. Kashmiri brides receive special kangris on their wedding day.
These kangris are decorated with willow wicker and have vibrant colours. Kashmiri brides are usually accompanied by a silver-chained Chrar kangri as dowry. It is also considered a lucky charm and is utilised in a number of rituals. At weddings and other traditional festivals, fragrant and aromatic seeds like is band (Peganum harmala) are burned in it, and young girls wearing their best clothes make a live kangri dance in circles.
- Ritual associated with ending Winters and welcoming Spring:
A traditional puja is held at the end of winter, which falls on the day of Tila Atham/Ashtami, the conclusion of Shivratri.
Kangris are burned after the earthen pots are removed from their shells and ignited by tossing in bundles of dried grass and falling into bodies of water. Little boys and girls chant “Ja Taein Taein” to signal the end of winter and the start of spring and the emergence of new life.
The Kangir is still the primary low-cost means of keeping a person warm in a traditional koshur (Kashmiri) home throughout the winter. History records the creation of kangri, a customary means of warmth that enables people to endure extremely low temperatures.
However, as society becomes more modern, there is less and less need for kangri; people would rather use contemporary heating gadgets. As a result, kangri tradition in Kashmir is disappearing. If nothing changes, the heritage won’t be carried on by the next generation. In the next ten years, Kangri might go extinct entirely, and we would lose a significant portion of our culture.
Agrita Chhibber is from Jammu
Images from different sources
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