Omkar Dattatray
It is said and rightly so that necessity is the mother of invention and some foresighted man in the ancient past may had invented Kangri .It has become a darling of every Kashmiri in winter and it warms and protects him /her from the severe cold .Kangri gives warmth ,during calm, cloudy and cold days of winter called Wandah and Shishur seasons in Kashmir .The Kangri has a special importance for ruralites as well as urban people .The farmer takes Kangri round the year in fields and use huka with the help of Kangri embers .A puff of huka provides respite to the farmer from the hard work .A city walla ,makes use of kangri in his kitchen and home .Kangri consists of two parts ,one earthen pot called in kashmiri as ‘kundal and its wicker cover of various ordinary and beautiful designs and colors .Kangri is portable and is carried to any place .Kangris are manufactured everywhere in Kashmir but the kangris of Bandipore and kulgam are very special and beautiful .It is generally believed that Kashmiris learnt the use of Kangri from the Italians who were in the retinue of Mogul kings and visited Kashmir in summers .Kashmiri people burn Kangri on the occasion of local festival ,marking the end of winter season .Isband-Peganum harmala ,aromatic seeds believed to push away the negative energies are burnt in Kangri to mark a good beginning to a party .Beyond Kashmir ,people of Himachal ,Uttrakand and some parts in Nepal also make use of kangri .In 2015 a shopkeeper in Srinagar commissioned a Kangri ,described as the world’s largest to attract customers to his textile shop .Kashmir Life reported that the size ,over a metre long posed technical challenge to the wicker weavers .The Kashmiri proverb ,”What Laila was on Majnuns bosom”(legendry lovers),so is the kangri to a kashmiri ,sums up the relationship between a Kashmiri and the Kanger and it has got much cultural importance .The tourism department of occupied Jammu and Kashmir decided to celebrate Pheran and Kangri day on Feb19 to promote Kashmirri culture. Our part of Jammu and Kashmir should take a qeu from POJK and decide to celebrate a kangri and pheran day to promote kashmiri culture .Weaving of Kangri is local cottage industry and the kangris of ”Charar-e-Shrief are very famous for their special design and look .Similarly the kangris of Baramullah ,Bandipore and kulgam are also famous and attract large customers .Many people earn their livelihood from the avocation of weaving Kangris. These special; kangris are purchased for the purpose of presenting as a gift to dear ones and on special occasions .A special Kangri called wuda Kangri designed in a beautiful frame are used to burn essence during marriage ceremonies by KP’s and Kashmiri Muslims as both share same culture and tradition. A special kind of Charcoal (Tapantsini) made up of chinar ,willow ,apple ,popular and kiker twinges are used in Kangri .These twinges are set on fire and are not allowed to turn into ashes and for this purpose sometimes water is sprinkled on them .In the Kangri charcoal is lighted by burning some substance and charcoal burns very slowly and steadily leaving little ashes which are used as maneuvers in kitchen garden .The markets of Srinagar and other towns are flooded with Kangris from November to March and people purchase kangris for their use in winter. Some people earn their livelihood from weaving Kangris and the government is also providing loans under Khadi and Village industries schemes for the manufacture of Kangris. It is surprising that Kashmiris in their migration have carried the Kangri with them and they make its use in Jammu and other parts of the country during the winter season .Although Gas heaters are used by the people in cities and towns but it is impossible to say goodbye to kangri .The Kangri still remains to be the culture of Kashmir and Kashmiris .In winter Kashmiris take Kangri with them under the Pheran which protects them from the biting winter and intense cold .During the cold winter when snowflakes cover the ground area of the compound ,Kashmiris are delighted to taste Namkeen tea enjoying the warmth of Kangri under Pheran.
Kangri is a part and parcel of Kashmiri culture as well as a necessity in Kashmir in harsh winter .We can hardly live in intense cold in winter season without a Kangri .Both Kaehmiri Pandits and Kashmiri Muslims use Kangri in various functions including marriage ceremonies as both the communities burn Isband in Kangri .Kashmiri Pandits use Kangri at a function called Shishur Gundun to the new bride and at this function specially made Kangri decorated is kept before bride and the near and dear ones offer money in the empty Kangri .A kanger also known as Kangri or Kangid or Kangir is an earthen pot woven around with wicker filled with hot embers used by Kashmiris beneath their traditional clothing called Pheran to keep chill at bay which is also regarded as a work of art .It is normally kept inside the Pheran ,the Kashmiri cloak or inside a blanket or Chadder .If a person is wearing a jacket ,it may be used as a hand warmer .Kangir comes in different varieties, small for children and large for the adults .After the earthen pots are moulded and fired ,the artisans complete the wickerwork around it by erecting two arms to handle the pot ,propping back with strong wicker sticks ,and color it (optionally) to give an aesthetically delicate shape .The final product then goes to the market .In short Kangri is the best companion of Kashmiris and in fact can be said to be the darling of every kashmiri in harsh winters .Let us preserve Kangri and our beautiful culture for future generations .It is very difficult rather impossible to say goodbye to Kangri in winter.