India, May 20 -- The town of Banda in Uttar Pradesh takes on a deserted look after 10 am every day, with shops almost shut and roads empty, not because of a ritual but due to excruciating heat.

On April 27 this year, Banda recorded 47.6 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature anywhere in India that day and its highest since 1951, surpassing its previous peak of 47.4 degrees Celsius for the month, reached on April 30, 2022, and April 25, 2026. On Tuesday, Banda was again the hottest in India at 48.2degC, setting a new record.

The sustained readings have placed Banda among India's most extreme heat locations - a distinction long associated with Rajasthan towns such as Churu and Jaisalmer.

But why exactly is the town in UP's Bundelkhand ...