Chill grips Silchar as mercury dips

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Silchar, Jan 16: Winter evening settle downs in T S Eliot’s poem and he does not quite celebrate it. An English winter has always been despised and cursed by both prose writers and poets. It symbolizes end of life and an all-pervading aura of gloominess and lifelessness. Though winter arrived quite late, people of this town have started to sun bath during the daytime and spend hours sitting beside bonfires during the chilly nights. The temperature falls down to single digit after nightfall and remains very low throughout. The chilling atmosphere, foggy mornings, cold breathes and shivering hands and trembling legs adds up to the ambience of a chilly and intense cold weather. People are seen wearing woollen, thick and furry dresses to beat the cold and protect themselves from catching cold.

 The bitter and harsh cold waves have forced people to stay indoors after nightfall. Group of persons can be seen seated around a temporary bonfire at various points of the town. Young people often falls back on their old, cherished and favourite pastime once upon a time. Carom boards mounted on stands are a very common sight of this town. During winter, it only intensifies. The sale of hot and spicy fast food has also gone up. Momo sellers and chatwalas are on a roll as people are devouring them these items and enjoying the winter.

The temperature ranging from 9 degrees Celsius to 18 has been forcing people to be less active and agile. Temperature increases during the daytime which provides some warmth. Empty streets, shuttered shops, closed doors and windows are a common sight during this season. The nightfall brings a sense of chilliness and uncomfortable cold which slowly but surely hits life. Gossipmongers shift their meeting spot from street corners to cozy drawing rooms. Hot brimming cups of coffee, tea served with savoury scks, pakoras, samosas and other mouth watering items, are placed on table which demands an early consumption. In order to beat the cold, people heads straight towards their houses as soon as they are finished with the day’s work.

 Most people prefer winter because it has its own charm. During summer, it is very difficult to go for long walks and work for many hours. Winter usually arrives in the month of November, but this year it was late. The blowing of cold wind makes the season chillier. However late, the settling down of winter has hit normal life.