Winter –a feverish cold

When the month strikes to September, the warmth of the earth abridged day after days. The freezing weather surmounted the warmth of earth. By October, November and now December it’s completely chilly. The winter season in Thimphu is tremendously pathetic and other northern parts of our country which includes northern part of the country.

The people irrespective of age, wealth or others collect fire wood starting from July until September, to keep their homes warm during winter. The people, who live in town and cities, already prearranged firewood near their residences.

The Bukhari, the Metal Oven or Stove was fixed in their houses by end of September. But for the people of core northern parts of Bhutan fixed and readied it by early September. The Bukharis are purchased from Bumthang in Central Bhutan, Khaling in Eastern Bhutan and Phuentsholing in South-Western Bhutan.

In urban areas such as Thimphu and Paro, the houses are built with modern technology so, there is no way to set up Bukhari. But an Electric and Kerosene heaters are renown in urban areas.

Due to scarcity of Kerosene supply in the country, the use of Kerosene heater became chaotic for the people. The Kerosene is supplied only 10 liters a person when person submit Xerox copy Citizenship Identity Card. An increase in Electricity tariff, an Electric heater would be difficult for the people as one have to pay huge amount of bill at the end of month.

In villages, the people use Mud Oven or Traditional Oven to warm up their houses for entire winter and also summer to cook their meals. Every household village consumes more than 10 to 15 tons of firewood every year for cooking purposes and defending themselves from tremendous cold.

During winter, the people gather together and bath in sun, gossiping and ingesting something special. I saw the group of shopkeepers gathered together bathing sun, perhaps to avoid huge amount of electricity tariff at the end of the month.

The hardware and electronics shops are importing truck loads of Electric and Kerosene heaters weekly where they could make huge amount of income in very short span of time. Every household in Thimphu and Paro has two or three electric heaters plugged to the socket.

The kerosene heaters were used as alternatives due to super scarcity of Kerosene supply in the country. The tens of people wait near oil depot to buy kerosene with jars and ID Card Xerox copy in their hands.

The office goers and school goers wore woolen clothes. Some men and women wore Pajamas and leggings respectively. Mufflers, hats, caps, and hand gloves are famous among the people irrespective of ages.

The travelers travelling along the East-west highway via Trongsa and Bumthang uses car heaters and thick clothes to guard from frozen climate. The hotels and restaurants on the way fixed large Bukharis, to keep dining rooms warm.

The North Face jackets and cotton pants are got prominent winter clothes among the people. The party goers this time wore thick and wooly clothes instead short and half naked clothes.

This is how people defend themselves from chilly winter in our country. Happy winter and expect Snow soon in the city and towns in northern parts of the country.