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Tips and Tricks: Winter weather is very harsh in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand. From December to February the temperature reaches near zero. In such a situation, lighting fire becomes not just a convenience but a basic necessity of life for the mountain people. In many places, the fireplace keeps burning from morning till night, in which mainly dry wood is used.
There has always been a harsh winter in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand. Dry pine wood is very useful at this time. This wood burns quickly and gives heat for a long time. Here mainly dry pine wood is used for fire.
The mountain villagers start collecting dry pine wood much before the onset of winter. Generally, dry wood fallen in the forests is collected between April and June. Rural families go to the forest with their entire family and collect wood. It is brought home and dried in the sun so that it burns easily in winter. On an average, a family stores wood for six months, so that there is no problem in the harsh winter.
Dry pine wood reflects the deep relationship between mountain forest and rural life. Even today, a large number of people in villages cook food on wood stoves instead of gas cylinders. This not only saves fuel but also keeps the taste of food traditional. Elders believe that food cooked on wood fire is also beneficial for health. This is the reason why despite modern means, the importance of dry pine wood has not diminished.
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Even today, fireplace and stove are considered to be the most reliable means to escape the cold in the mountains. The fire burning dry pine wood keeps the entire house warm. As the evening approaches, all the family members sit around the fireplace. It is not only a means of protection from cold but also a center of family communication and interaction. Sitting near this fire, stories, folk songs and old memories are shared.
Dry pine wood has a special place in the daily routine of rural women. From lighting the stove as soon as you wake up in the morning to cooking food throughout the day, wood is needed. Women also play an important role in bringing wood from the forest. It is common for mountain women to travel long distances carrying a bundle of wood on their heads. Despite this being a laborious task, women consider it as their responsibility, because the warmth of the family in winter depends on it.
Dry pine wood also provides economic relief to poor and middle class families. In villages where availability of gas cylinders is limited or prices are high, wood becomes the main fuel. Some villagers also collect extra wood and sell it in local markets. This gives them some extra income. In this way, dry pine wood is not only a means of protection from cold but also becomes a small means of livelihood.
Ramesh Parvatiya of Bageshwar tells Local 18 that it has been a tradition in rural areas that only fallen and dry wood is taken from the forest. Cutting of green trees is avoided. The older generation teaches children that the forest is their life and it is important to protect it. Due to this thinking, even today, rules are made collectively in many villages, so that the forest is not harmed. This tradition plays an important role in maintaining environmental balance.
Even though gas, heaters and modern appliances have reached the villages today, the importance of dry pine wood still remains. This wood becomes the biggest support during power cuts and gas shortage in winter. The new generation has also started understanding this tradition. This wood is not just fuel, but is also a symbol of the mountain’s self-reliant lifestyle and fighting culture, which has been going on for generations.
