Mubashir Aalam Wani
Srinagar, Dec 21: As the 40-day harshest winter period, commonly known as Chila-i-Kalan commenced on Tuesday, scores of members from civil society appeared at Srinagar’s commercial Hub area, Lal Chowk to observe what they called as ‘Pheran Day’.
Notably, Pheran is a traditional dress of Kashmir, which people wear during winters to keep themselves warm in the bone-chilling cold.
The Jammu and Kashmir Economic Confederation (JKEC) members in a bid to welcome the harsh winter period and observe ‘Pheran Day’ assembled near Ganta Ghar (clock tower) here in Lal Chowk area of Srinagar.
The activists told media persons that there are certain reasons to celebrate the arrival of chila-i-kalan and one among the prime reasons is that the environment starts getting clean during this winter period.
“A white blanket of snow, which covers our Kashmir, attracts tourists from across the globe, thus giving a good business to Kashmir,” they said.
They added that during the harsh winter period, people in Kashmir use to wear traditional Pheran to keep themselves warm, which should not be banned anywhere across the Valley.
“We request Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and his administration to allow the government employees working in the offices to wear our 700-years-old traditional Pheran in offices,” they said.
