Bountiful and 'snowful', winter reclaims its glory in Kashmir

His village is close to the famous Shallabugh Wetland Reserve that has been the winter home of migratory birds for hundreds of years. Little wonder, Sidiq recalled the cackle of low-flying geese, mallards and teals during heavy snowfall in the past. "Heavy snowfall made high flying difficult for the migratory birds. They would fly almost at roof height in snowstorms, cackling and flapping to keep track of each other. For children, that pageant of colour and sound was nothing short of a royal parade," he explained.Icicles hanging from thatch-roofed houses, long winter nights and rooms dimly lit by an oil or kerosene lamp provided ideal setting for the narratives of the traditional storytellers of Kashmir.