How Warm a Razai Do You Need? Fill Weight and Climate Guide
Every razai listing mentions fill weight or GSM, but few sellers explain what those numbers mean for the temperature in your bedroom. This guide maps fill weight to actual Indian winter conditions so you can stop guessing.
What Fill Weight and GSM Actually Mean
Fill weight is the total weight of cotton batting inside the quilt. GSM (grams per square metre) is fill weight expressed per unit area, which makes it comparable across different quilt sizes. A higher GSM means more cotton per square metre, which means more trapped air, which means more warmth.
A traditional Jaipuri razai uses hand-carded desi cotton. The cotton is processed in thin, even sheets and layered by hand rather than machine-blown into clusters. This hand-layering creates a denser, more consistent fill that sleeps warmer than its weight suggests. A 400 GSM Jaipuri cotton razai will feel warmer than a 400 GSM polyester-fill comforter because the cotton drapes close to the body and traps body heat more efficiently.
Indian Climate Zones and What They Need
Coastal Cities: Mumbai, Chennai, Kochi
Night temperatures in Mumbai rarely drop below 18 degrees Celsius even in peak January. A 200 to 300 GSM razai or a thick dohar is all you need. Anything heavier and you will wake up kicking it off. Breathability matters more than warmth here, so cotton fill over polyester fill is the right call.
Mild Interior: Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad
These cities dip to 13 to 17 degrees in December and January. A 300 to 400 GSM razai covers the full season. If your bedroom has air conditioning running at night, add 50 GSM to your choice. Most buyers in Bengaluru do well with a 350 GSM double-bed razai as a year-round layer.
North Indian Plains: Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Agra, Chandigarh
This is razai territory. Temperatures drop to 4 to 8 degrees on the coldest December and January nights, with 10 to 14 degree daytime highs. You need 450 to 550 GSM for the coldest two months. A 400 GSM razai is workable if you also have a second blanket to layer, but a single 500 GSM razai is the more comfortable solution.
Traditional Jaipuri razai-making has always targeted this climate. The artisans in Sanganer and Bagru understood exactly how much fill was needed to survive a Rajasthan winter, and that institutional knowledge is baked into the way these quilts are constructed.
Hill Stations and Higher Altitudes: Shimla, Mussoorie, Ooty, Kodaikanal
Below 1,500 metres and a 550 GSM razai handles most winter nights. Above 1,500 metres, you are looking at sub-zero nights and a single cotton razai will not be enough on its own. Layer two razais, or use a heavy razai with a wool blanket underneath. At these altitudes, a down or synthetic comforter may outperform cotton simply because of raw insulation capacity.
Single Bed vs Double Bed: Does Size Affect Warmth?
Yes, in one specific way. A double-bed razai used by one person drapes over the sides of the body, creating a seal against cold air coming in from the edges. A single-bed razai used by one person may leave gaps if you move in your sleep. If you sleep alone and you sleep cold, buying a double-bed size in your chosen fill weight is worth the extra cost.
Standard single-bed sizing at Kari by Kriti is 60 x 90 inches. Double bed is 90 x 100 inches. We also offer a 108 x 108 inch size for buyers who want floor-to-floor coverage on wide beds or who want the quilt to function as a floor-spread during the day.
A Practical Buying Framework
Take the coldest night temperature your city records in January. If it is above 15 degrees, buy 300 GSM. Between 10 and 15 degrees, buy 400 GSM. Between 5 and 10 degrees, buy 500 GSM. Below 5 degrees, buy 550 GSM and plan to layer.
If you are buying for a guest room that will be used year-round by visitors from different cities, 400 GSM is the safest middle ground. It is warm enough for a Delhi winter visitor and not so heavy that it suffocates a Mumbai guest in November.
Our winter razai quilts are listed with fill weight on each product page. Every razai uses hand-block-printed cotton voile and kantha hand-stitching, with prices from Rs. 1,999 to Rs. 6,999. Free COD is available across India, and we ship internationally with tracked dispatch.
One More Factor: Fabric Shell
Fill weight is not the only warmth variable. The shell fabric matters. Cotton voile, which is what Kari by Kriti uses, is tightly woven enough to contain the fill and resist cold air penetration while remaining breathable. A loosely woven shell, regardless of fill weight, loses warmth faster. When comparing razais across brands, check the shell GSM alongside the fill GSM.
