Delhi is known for its extreme weather conditions. It experiences the hottest days during summers and the coldest nights during winters. This is because Delhi lies in the landlocked Northern plains of the Indian subcontinent. Its climate is greatly influenced by its proximity to the Himalayas and the Thar Desert. Hence, it succumbs to the extremes of both summers and winters. While the people who permanently reside in Delhi may be habitual to such climate conditions, it gets difficult for people who might have migrated or immigrated to Delhi. But It is the winters in Delhi that have given me a tough time. Many people romanticize ‘the Delhi winters’ by thinking about the opportunity to wear cozy sweaters, have a hot beverage, or escape the scorching summer sun. But there is another side to it. Simply put, winters in Delhi are bitter and harsh, particularly in December and January.
Delhi’s proximity to the Himalayas results in cold waves which lead to lower temperatures due to wind chill. It was as recent as last winter when Delhi experienced a minimum temperature of 1.9 degrees celsius (India’s weather department declares a cold wave when the minimum temperature is less than 4°). In such a condition, it becomes a strenuous task to attend classes and carry on with daily life. But the worst part is the arrival of winters with excessive air pollution. This has been hampering the physical health of many Delhites in recent years. The current Air Quality Index (AQI) of Delhi stands at 394. AQI is used for reporting daily air quality. It tells us how clean or polluted the air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern. The concentration of PM 2.5, that is the fine particulate matter capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system and triggering health problems, exceeded the Indian government’s prescribed safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by 7 to 8 times.
While many reasons can be attributed to the depleting air quality in Delhi, it is majorly caused by the stubble burning of paddy crops in the states of Punjab and Haryana for the arrival of the Kharif season. This makes the air quality unbreathable during November in Delhi.
Hence, the deadly combination of Pollution plus freezing winters makes it hard for many people to even step out of their homes and continue with their daily lives. For many students like me who are completely new to such high levels of pollution and the biting winters of Delhi, it was a difficult task to combat both of them simultaneously. But having spent more than a year in the city, I have navigated some ways through which I had (almost) successfully dealt with the Delhi winters last year in 2022.
A few strategies that I used last year were:
- USE HOT WATER BAG BEFORE YOU SLEEP: Unless your skin is not sensitive to hot water, using a hot water bag will keep your body as well as your bed warm, especially during the night.
- WEAR A MASK WHENEVER YOU GO OUT: This will help prevent the pollutants and the cold air from entering your nostrils.
- COVER YOUR NECK WITH MUFFLERS OR SCARF: A throat infection was the first thing that happened to me after the onset of winter. Hence, it is only a wise thing to protect oneself from a sore throat.
- HAVE PLENTY OF HOT BEVERAGES OR ANY OTHER FLUIDS: This will help you to keep yourselves warm not only externally, but also internally.
While there can be many other ways to deal with Delhi’s winters, these were a few suggestions based on my experience. The winters have already arrived and so has pollution. While you would want to enjoy your ‘first’ winter in Delhi, do make sure that you are well protected from it and remain healthy.