Chilai Kalan: Surviving the Harshest Forty Days and Nurturing Hope for a Greener Tomorrow

We are halfway through the harshest period of winter, which actually starts on 21st December and ends on 1st February. These 40 days are considered the hardest phase of winter. Although winter begins around mid-October and ends by late March or sometimes mid-April, the most severe stretch is these 40 days, known as Chilai Kalan. Chilai means cold and Kalan means major. It is the period that is quite hard to sustain. There is a belief that whoever succeeds in getting through these 40 days can live freely for another year. This is true not only for humans and animals, but also for plants.

This year, because of the dryness of winter and the absence of precipitation so far, this 40-day period has not been very harsh in terms of daytime temperatures. However, the nights have been severely cold. Personally, I am more concerned about the trees and plants that I have grown in and around my house. I am deeply worried about their health and eagerly waiting for winter to end, as it would not only ease my worries but also allow these plants to revive.

The sharp dip in temperature always endangers the lives of these plants, and all the hard work put in throughout the year to help them grow often goes in vain, which is quite disheartening. At this moment, I am really eager for winter to end, as it will bring a new ray of hope and a sense of resurrection.

I have grown many plants in pots as well as in open ground, but a large portion of them has dried up due to unsuitable conditions. All the hard work and investment I made throughout the year have almost gone to waste. Now, I am trying my best to preserve the remaining plants so that they can survive until winter is over.

Next year, I plan to do something more fruitful. I will focus on growing high-quality fruit plants that can bear fruit and also survive these harsh months. Otherwise, it results in a great loss. This is my resolution, or we can say a green project, that I plan to work on in the next agricultural season.

Thank you for going through my post. Have a great time ahead.