Braving biting cold and rains, the farmers protesting the controversial farm laws on Delhi border for the last 40 days have got a few Kangris to help them fight the chill.
According to a news report, a Delhi-based NGO has purchased around 50 kangris and distributed the same among the elderly farmers.
Unique to Kashmir, kangri is an earthen pot woven around with wicker and filled with hot embers. It is a reliable option to beat cold as electricity keeps on ditching Kashmiris who place the earthen pot under the traditional long cloth Phiran or inside a blanket to warm the body.
“Last week, I was approached by some people that they need Kangris. They were in hurry. I am not dealing with the Kangri trade. I am in the business of handicrafts. I was surprised why someone in Delhi needs such a number of kangris. Initially, they were reluctant to say anything but I insisted and they said they need them for farmers. I thought I should help them. I feel for farmers particularly elderly farmers and got Kangris from different traders against reasonable cost and dispatched them to the concerned NGO in Punjab,” Outlook quoted the kangri trader.
He said buses directly don’t go to Punjab from Jammu. “Due to the Covid-10 restriction the buses usually change at Madavpur in Punjab and it became one of the hurdles. It took time to find a bus that was directly going to Delhi. Once I found it, I dispatched Kangris to them it,” he said.
He said the first consignment was about 50 kangris which would be used on an experimental basis. “The concerned NGO informed me elderly farmers are suffering from chilling cold and they need something to warm themselves. They were informed by some Kashmiris that Kangri could help,” he says. The NGO also said if the farmers could feel better using Kangri, they would get more from Kashmir.