After the Chillai Kalan ended on January 31, Chillai Khored spread her wings for the next ten days, which is from February 1 to 10. In this short spell, the temperature begins to rise, and snow starts to melt.
However, there are many myths attached to Khored, the most infamous being that Khored invites the elderly to death. When an old person dies during this short season, people start cursing Khored for being so harsh on one of the weaker sections of the society. It is also said that older people pray more nawafil and do not get angry at home for they can’t afford to ask for any curse in these ten days.
Also, the oral mythology of Kashmir has preserved three sayings of Chillai Khored, Chill Bache and Chillai Kalan in Kashmiri collective memory.
Chillai Khored has said: If I were Chillai Kalan, I would blanket the valley with snow up to treetops.
Chill Bache, because Bache doesn’t bear any insult, replied: If I were Chillai Kalan, I would create snowflakes too thick for a sparrow to fly through a snowfall.
On hearing those short seasons making excuses about not enjoying as much power as Chillai Kalan, the great Chillai Kalan replied: I have so much power that I could freeze the boiling pot on the stove, but I let people live without unleashing it.
