Baramulla, Dec 16: Amid freezing temperatures in the Kashmir Valley, the sale of Kangris has shot up with people preferring the traditional fire pots to electric and gas heaters to keep themselves warm.
 Kangri sellers said their sales have soared with the temperatures remaining low. “There is presently good demand for the kangris,” said a shopkeeper.
 “Kangri is much cheaper than LPG, Kerosene, and other electrical appliances. All we need is a handful of charcoal to ignite it,” said 71-year old Hajira Begum of Nambalnar in Tangrmarg, adding that for that reason kangri had not lost the ground in Kashmir.
 The people engaged in manufacturing Kangri are over busy these days.
 Ghulam Qadir Dar, 75 of Danmoha village here said: "I have been associated with Kangri making for last sixty years. I make 3-4 kangris daily. This is the only source of my livelihood",
 Curiously, kangri is also used in Ladakh, Kargil, Gilgat and Muzzarabad.
 Kangri has also become a popular handicraft. Besides heating purposes, it is used as a decoration item in drawing rooms. “Its colour, intricate designing, convoluted wicker work attract tourists,” said Shabir Ahmad, who runs a kangri shop in Sopore town here.
 Artisans in some areas in Kashmir specialise kangri-making. The Kangris of Chrari-Sharif and Bandipore are popular across the state.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 16 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:00:00 IST