Rinku Ghosh: It’s sad how the weather doesn’t give that same cozy feeling anymore

“Mumbai used to have moderate winters before, but now it feels more like a cooler summer. The winters we grew up with—those cool morning breezes and wrapping myself in a thin shawl at home—are almost gone. It’s sad how the weather doesn’t give that same cozy feeling anymore. Winters had a charm that added freshness to life, but now it just feels like a slight relief from the heat,” she says.

This year, Mumbai experienced its warmest winter in the last 16 years, with temperatures reaching 37.3°C. Talking about the same, she says, “I think this is the price humans have to pay for the sake of development and urbanization. The rising temperatures are a sign of how much damage we’ve done to the environment. Pollution, deforestation, and global warming are all to blame. It’s a wake-up call for all of us to act more responsibly before we lose the beauty of every season.”

Ask her what she misses about winters, and she says, “I miss sardi ki dhoop—that warm winter sunshine—while sipping a hot cup of adrak chai. Those moments felt so calm and comforting, like a pause from the chaos of everyday life. Winters had their own way of slowing things down and giving us small joys that now seem to have disappeared.”

As for clothes, she says layering is the way to go. “For Mumbai winters, just jeans and a thick full-sleeve T-shirt or jacket are enough. It’s simple, comfortable, and works well for the city’s weather. Heavy layering isn’t needed here, but even this little adjustment makes you feel like you’re embracing the winter season,” she says.