India, May 20 -- India is preparing for an intense spell of summer heat as weather experts warn that temperatures could rise sharply across several states during Nautapa 2026, nine days traditionally associated with extreme heatwave conditions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has already issued heatwave alerts for many parts of North India, including Delhi-NCR, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, where temperatures continue climbing rapidly.

The warning comes as Delhi recorded temperatures above 42degC this week, while forecasts suggest the mercury could rise even further in the coming days. At the same time, the annual period known as Nautapa is set to begin on May 25 and continue until June 2. According to traditional beliefs and ...