Does pashmina pill? A common worry
Why a few small balls appear in the first winter, and what to do about them.
Winter in Amritsar: what to wear, and when
From the first cold nights of November to the fog of January, a month-by-month guide.
Amritsar winters arrive quickly. Nights turn cool in early November, and by Diwali you will want something around your shoulders after dark. A light wool stole or a pashmina stole is enough until the end of the month.
December brings the real cold. Days are pleasant in the sun, but mornings are around 5°C and the evening wind off the fields is sharp. This is the month for a full shawl. Wool is practical for daily wear; a pashmina is lighter and just as warm if you are out for weddings in the evening.
Late December and January are the foggy weeks. Visibility drops, flights from Amritsar are delayed and the cold gets into the houses, which have no central heating. Older people wear a lohi indoors all day. If you are visiting the Golden Temple at dawn, wear a warm shawl over a jacket and take a scarf to cover your head.
By mid-February the sun has strength again, and stoles come back out. Shawls should be cleaned and put away by the end of March, before Baisakhi. If you are travelling here in winter, buy your shawl on the first day, not the last: you will need it.
