winter in Uttar Pradesh

aghori

What it is like to spend winter there? I was told that in Mathura area it doesn't go below -5C, but there is no central heating. How people live there then? I guess not everyone can afford buying a heater. Is it that they have to sleep under many blankets and wear a lot of cloths inside their houses?
And if to buy a heater (how much it is, by the way?) is it expensive to keep it on for whole night and most of the day? And the hours when electricity goes off, does not appear in my imagination as being nice ones- dark and COLD.
Also what about hot water? I was in Govardhan in November and in the place I was staying it was only in early morning. Maybe I just stayed in a wrong place. Or hot water is rare in Indian villages?

Merchant

Indian homes are generally built for the heat, not the cold--which is why even relatively mild (at least by nothern standards) cold is so dangerous. The Indian poor do not have the clothes, the houses, or the temperment to deal with cold, and many die.

Hot water--except in a hotel or middle class home, you won't find what you think of as a hot water heater (which the Indians call a geyser). Hot water for bathing is heated in a pot on a stove or fire, then mixed into a large bucket. You bathe then with a dipper. This is the Indian method.

Villages everywhere are used to intermittent (or non-existent) electricity and so are not dependent on it, especially not for heat or hot water.

Indians deal with the cold the way they deal with heat. Simply by enduring it.

aghori

What about middle class? How do they deal with winter?
Seems that no one from UP here, maybe someone from Delhi could bring light on it.

ashish0608

Aghori,

I m from Delhi, can throw some light on UP

Middle class in India is very big band, so some economists devide that in Upper-middle Class and Lower Middle class.

The Upper Middle Class of UP will use some form of electrical water heating (Gyesers or Immersion rod) in almost 100% cases, "If they want to", yes there are many people you would take cold water bath whole of the year by Choice ( I was one of them till some 2/3 years back, my wife forced me to give that up)

Lower MC (while some may have Gyesers/Imm. Rods) the rest will depend on heating water on the GAS stove, which is normally ment for the men or children who would leave home early, the females of the house will take bath later in the day normally by when the Sun is out, they would then keep a bucket of water in the Sun. Some draw water from the ground by hand-pump or motor, the ground water normally is not as cold..and is bearable.

Also with my experience of cold water bath (for temprature up to +5 degrees C) this is what I can say:

You only feel the Chill in the first mug, so the trick is close your eyes and do it quick and thereafter it is all fine...also you don't feel cold afterwards, so you can get out of the bathroom wearing a towel and less need of wearing thermal inner-wear.

aghori

Hello Ashish!
Thank you for second reply on important question for me.
However I would like to know not only about water. Soon I will need to pack my bags, so I need to decide if a winter in UP will be too unpleasant for me and I'd better espace to the South, or it will be alright.
Notwithstanding I am from a cold part of the world, it droops below -35C, but there is a heating from goverment in rooms, so when I am at home it is always comfortable and warm. And I really can not imagine what it is like to live in unheated building when it is 0 or -2C.
I understood about water, I'll need to seach apartment with electral water heating (if it will not be there, how much it will cost to buy one?). But what about heater of air? Is it common in use? And what is the price of it? Or most people just wear lots of pullovers when at home?

ashish0608

Info: Temprature in most plains of UP is never below 5C

If the place does not have electrical water heating (we call all it gyeser) : Buying an immersion rod would be the best : which can be baught in any city electrical shop, a good quality should not cost more than 200 Rs., althought it looks unsafe, to me atleast more with the kids around. Just wondering would u require information on immersion rod type water heater?

About Room heaters:

Every house has one or the other type of room heaters, but they are not regularly used. More for use of old people, small kids or sick people. An okey person will use a room heater maybe once of twice in whole of winters and maybe never in November. December/January is the peak winter.

In November the temp. most likely will not go below 10 degree C various types of room heater in varried prices is available, should you choose to buy one, here is some more info:

The cheepest is an element type, the element is exposed inside a wire cage, the elemenet which glows red/hot when switched on, I don't recommend as it burns the oxygen in the room, and not being automatic you have switch off when the room gets very hot. Should not cost more than 500Rs.

Next in line is called heat convector, which has a hot air blower (Good brands are USHA, Bajaj, Philips) , Automatic types are also available, price should be in the range of 2000Rs - 2500Rs

Hope this information helps

aghori

Thanks a lot. Now the picture is more clear. It sounds better then I thought.
Is the reason that a room heater rarely used, that it is expansive to use it? I mean it is much more comfortable to be in t-shirt when in a house then in sweater. Will I get a big bill for electricity if I'll use it most of the day?
Also what about filter for drinking water. Is it in every apartment, or I might need to buy one?
I read that this spring there was a shortcoming of water in Tamil Nadu villages. Does the problem exist in UP?
Is it expansive to have a generator, in order to have light when there is no electricity in a village?
About immersion rod type water heater. Will it take long to heat a basket of water with it? I saw only the ones of small size in Russia.

ashish0608

Nov. in UP plains, the daytime temprature within house with door/windows closed is comfortable enough and sweater is not required it will be cooler in the night..during that time you are most likely to be in cosy bed.

The electricity bill will not be huge, per unit rate of electricity in UP should be around Rs. 2-3 (actually it is a slab rate don't remember various slabs)...so say 1000W room heater will cost you Rs. 2-3 per hour.

Here is link on what most appliances consume, which include immersion rod. we get large ones here and heating a bucket should not take more than 15-20 min.

http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/...w/domestic.htm

To help u better on your other questions on Water and Generator, I would require to know the following:

Is it your 1st trip to india?
How long do you plan to stay?

Ashish

aghori

It will be the 3d one, but I know the South better.
A year or more. Beginning either from August or September.

p.s. November was just a time I was at that area at my last trip.