A bukhāri ( Persian بُخاری) is a traditional space heater from

Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...

and northern areas of the

Indian Subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...

, which is typically a

wood-burning stove A wood-burning stove (or wood burner or log burner in the UK) is a heating or cooking appliance capable of burning wood fuel, often called solid fuel, and wood-derived biomass fuel, such as sawdust bricks. Generally the appliance consists of a s ...

. ''Bukharis'' consist of a wide cylindrical fire-chamber at the base in which

wood Wood is a structural tissue/material found as xylem in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulosic fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin t ...

charcoal Charcoal is a lightweight black carbon residue produced by strongly heating wood (or other animal and plant materials) in minimal oxygen to remove all water and volatile constituents. In the traditional version of this pyrolysis process, ca ...

or other fuel is burned and a narrower cylinder on the top that helps in heating the room and acts as a

chimney A chimney is an architectural ventilation structure made of masonry, clay or metal that isolates hot toxic exhaust gases or smoke produced by a boiler, stove, furnace, incinerator, or fireplace from human living areas. Chimneys are typical ...

. The base of an Indian ''bukhari'' is wider than that of most western wood-burning stoves. ''Bukharis'' are found in the entire northern belt of the region, i.e. Afghanistan, Tajikistan, northern

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

North India North India is a geographical region, loosely defined as a cultural region comprising the northern part of India (or historically, the Indian subcontinent) wherein Indo-Aryans (speaking Indo-Aryan languages) form the prominent majority populati ...

Nepal Nepal, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mainly situated in the Himalayas, but also includes parts of the Indo-Gangetic Plain. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region of China Ch ...

Bhutan Bhutan, officially the Kingdom of Bhutan, is a landlocked country in South Asia, in the Eastern Himalayas between China to the north and northwest and India to the south and southeast. With a population of over 727,145 and a territory of , ...

and

Northeast India Northeast India, officially the North Eastern Region (NER), is the easternmost region of India representing both a geographic and political Administrative divisions of India, administrative division of the country. It comprises eight States and ...

Etymology

The term ''bukhār'' is a Persian word meaning ''heat'' or ''fever''. In modern Persian, the term ''bukhari'' generically refers to a heater.

Use in poultry farming

''Bukharis'' are in widespread use by poultry farmers in North India to keep birds warm during winter nights.

Fuel alternatives and conservation

Forest conservation imperatives have resulted in the development of alternative designs for ''bukharis'' in India, including

kerosene Kerosene, or paraffin, is a combustibility, combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is derived from petroleum. It is widely used as a fuel in Aviation fuel, aviation as well as households. Its name derives from the Greek (''kērós'') meaning " ...

-based versions and ''bukharis'' that are more fuel-efficient than the traditional varieties.

Hazards

Frequently, ''bukhari'' chimneys are not long enough to vent smoke outside the house, resulting in annual deaths from

carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon monoxide poisoning typically occurs from breathing in carbon monoxide (CO) at excessive levels. Symptoms are often described as " flu-like" and commonly include headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Large ...

in the region. Public authorities and mass media in the region often exhort people not to use '' angithis'' or ''bukharis'' in closed rooms. ''Bukharis'' also present a hazard for children due to their hot metallic surfaces and easy hinged access to the fuel-burning area.

References

{{reflist, 2 Burners Heaters Residential heating

Etymology

Use in poultry farming

Fuel alternatives and conservation

Hazards

See also

References