Winter Start In India 2021 May 2026

The start of winter is the only time when indulgence is not a vice but a biological necessity. It is the season of lagan (enthusiasm) for food. Perhaps the most sacred object at the start of Indian winter is the Razai (the cotton quilt).

And then there is the fog. The beautiful, romantic fog that grounds flights, delays trains, and kills visibility on the highways. It is the season of "slow down." Despite the smog, despite the fog, despite the cold bones—the start of winter is India’s favorite season. Why? winter start in india

Winter starts with a battle. It is the season of smog . The beautiful, golden light is often filtered through a thick blanket of farm fires and vehicular emissions. The start of winter here is visually stunning but physically treacherous. You wake up to fog so dense it feels like a solid wall. The chill doesn't just sit on your skin; it seeps into your bones. It is the season of the sigdi (coal brazier), of thick razais (quilts) that you dread leaving in the morning, and of the ritualistic application of mustard oil on the skin before a bath. The start of winter is the only time

It is the realization that nature, after months of brutal heat and chaotic rain, has finally decided to be kind. So, pull out the razai. Make the adrak wali chai. And welcome the fog. And then there is the fog