Surviving the Chill: How kashmiris learned to live with winter 

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ZAHID IQBAL SHEIKH

It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention, and nowhere does this saying hold truer than in Kashmir. From ancient times, when early humans lived in pits and caves, to the present era of modern heating appliances, the people of Kashmir have continuously developed unique ways to survive some of the harshest winters in the Indian subcontinent.

This long journey of adaptation, innovation, and resilience has unfolded over thousands of years. Winter has not merely been a season here—it has been a force that shaped lifestyle, architecture, social practices, and technological creativity. It taught the common Kashmiri how to combat cold, and over time, Kashmiris developed an entire range of heating techniques that make them distinct among other col