Winter Without Snow: Reflections, Hope, and Quiet Concerns

For me, the winter season is the most awaited season for its beauty and its vibes. Life comes to a halt, and that slowness has its own charm. No doubt people have to suffer because there is not much to do and not much to earn, but still it is a time that actually helps us to resurrect. It is the time when people deeply introspect on what they did throughout the year and make resolutions for the coming year. The fog in the air has a different vibe, and it brings with it the hope that with every dusk there is a dawn, and with every death there is a life waiting somewhere along the way.

For me, winter is the best season. No doubt other seasons here in the valley are also different and beautiful, but winter not only gives us time and space, it also brings us closer to one another. Relatives who remain busy with their work throughout the year finally find time to visit each other, spend moments together, and share their stories, happiness, and pain.

This winter season, which is usually celebrated here with great zeal, has remained dry until now, and that has disappointed many people. Snow is something we eagerly wait for as soon as autumn begins, and waiting for it for so long has made time itself something people dislike. The absence of precipitation has made this winter quite different. The fog that has enveloped the entire valley remains persistent, with no signs of disappearing.

This situation can hurt the coming year, because winter precipitation replenishes the glaciers in the higher mountains, which serve as a source of water for perennial streams. These streams are the main source of irrigation for most of our lands. If no precipitation occurs, not only will the water supply be affected, but agriculture will also suffer. This could prove disastrous for farmers, as we have already been facing such circumstances for the past few years. Agriculture and horticulture have not yielded much, while the cost of raising crops has increased. Other expenditures have also gone up, and the reduced income has pushed many farmers into distress.

This dry season may also hurt the tourism sector of our valley. Winter used to turn the valley into a winter wonderland, attracting a huge number of tourists from different states and even from different countries. Snowfall-related games and tournaments organized by the government added to the charm and generated revenue, but their absence now affects the economy of the state.

The only people who seem happy with this dry season are children. They are enjoying their winter vacations to the fullest, playing throughout the day. I see children playing all around the village, on different patches of land, playing cricket and other games, seemingly unconcerned about the absence of snow. Elders, however, think quite differently and carry their own apprehensions.

As someone who enjoys photography, I also like this kind of weather because it offers unique and beautiful views that are typical of this phase of the year and possible only due to the lack of precipitation. I have captured enough photographs now, but I am waiting for some precipitation to occur so that we can get some relief and anticipate a good production year ahead. Thank you.

• All photographs are mine*