Having been in India for the past few years, winter has become a part of yearly ritual in the northern part of India while at the same time, the rainy days are covering most of
the southern part of the sub-continent. It starts sometimes in late October to late February. By early March the weather will very pleasant and beautiful. However, this lovely and pleasant weather will last for a very short time, not more than a week or so. By April the heat of Indian summer is starting to hover around the whole India. One can only whish that the lovely, pleasant spring India would last a little bit longer for everyone to enjoy it.
Talking about winter, this year's winter can be said as the coldest winter ever experienced by the people in the northern part of India for over a few decades. Based on my own experience, having been in India since October 1996, this year's winter is the coldest winter I have ever experienced so far.
Today, Tuesday,8 january 2013, Ghazipur ( U.P.) experienced the coldest morning ever in which the morning temperature recorded at 8.30 AM in the city was 0.2 degree celsius, some few degrees well below the normal 5 to 8 degree celsius. Everyone in Ghazipur was shivering throughout the day and the situation is likely to continue for the next few days.
U.P.Government has decided to close the primary school for the next 7 DAYS, until Saturday due this severe cold.
One thing that needs to be emphasized here is that even though Ghazipur experiences severe cold during winter, there is no possibility of any snow falling in the city. Because the cold winter days in Ghazipur is caused by the movement of cold waves in the upper regions of North India (Jammu, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and the neighbouring area in Himalaya). The weather during the winter days in Ghazipur would be chilly and harsh in which sunny days would mean nothing because of the continuous cold waves that hover around the city. Other areas in the northern part of India except those in the upper region are experiencing similiar condition as Ghazipur.
The harsh reality of weather in Ghazipur and its surrounding areas in North India have left homeless and poor people to suffer the most. It is during this period of time that reports on people killed by the cold waves, or hot waves during summer, will become headlines in the national or regional papers. This year alone the victims of cold waves have almost reached 100 in total. No one knows who many more homeless and poor people will become the victim of nature.
It is just hope that the Government can provide more facilities for these people so that they do not have to suffer from the harsh reality of nature.
