Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 21: A life-size cutout of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Ghanta Ghar in Lal Chowk here underwent a delightful transformation when an ardent supporter adorned it with a traditional Kashmiri Pheran on International Pheran Day, capturing the attention of onlookers.
The Pheran-clad cutout of the Prime Minister became the focal point for onlookers, who eagerly clicked selfies with it. The unusual gesture occurred when a man from Budgam, visiting to celebrate International Pheran Day at the historic Ghanta Ghar, draped the cutout with the traditional Pheran. This day coincides with the onset of the 40-day-long harshest phase of winter, known locally as “Chillai Kalan.”
Jamal Badgami said his initial intention was to gift a Pheran to the Prime Minister. However, apprehensive about its delivery to Delhi, he opted to showcase it on the cutout.
Badgami, who claimed to have presented Pherans to various Prime Ministers in the past, experienced delight when he found the Prime Minister’s cutout displayed at the city centre upon his arrival.
“I am overwhelmed with joy. Sending the Pheran to Modi Ji was my wish. My heart swelled with happiness as I saw Modi Ji’s cutout here and immediately adored it with Pheran. It fills my heart with pride to see Modi ji in pheran with the tricolour flying atop the Ghanta Ghar,” he expressed with heartfelt satisfaction.
Against the backdrop of the iconic Ghanta Ghar, men, women, and children adorned colourful traditional Pherans gathered at the city centre. “This is not just clothing. It is our identity, and we should wear it with pride. Our mission is to promote it universally. Everyone should wear these Pherans, not just for style but because they keep us warm and resilient in the face of cold challenges. We are geared up for the snow, and we will embrace it wholeheartedly,” said a local amidst the celebration of International Pheran Day.
The “Pheran,” a long garment worn for warmth, not only serves a practical purpose in coping with the cold but also symbolises the historical continuity of Kashmiri culture, with minimal changes in its design over time.
As the 40-day-long winter, locally referred to as “Chillai Kalan,” commences in the Kashmir valley, Srinagar and other parts of the region are gripped by freezing, unabated cold conditions.
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