Visited India this spring/summer. Kolkata was deadly hot at 39C. Mumbai was bearable at 33C. Inner/central cities at an elevation was cooler at 30C. And I haven

Visited India this spring/summer. Kolkata was deadly hot at 39C. Mumbai was bearable at 33C. Inner/central cities at an elevation was cooler at 30C. And I haven't even traveled to North India where the heatwave reports are coming from. I dare not. Nowhere was it liveable in the afternoon. One couldn't walk outside after 10 am without sweating. Dehydration was a real danger. The difference in temperatures between direct sunlight and under a shaded tree was significant. Shops closed in the afternoon and opened back at 5 pm, running until midnight. Older houses made of stone and with cross ventilation were much cooler than newer concrete units that did not account for cross ventilation. Malls are the go-to place for people instead of parks or beaches because of availability of air conditioning. Cars are quickly becoming more popular. People prefer Uber to autos (tuktuks) because of AC. I'm afraid the subcontinent will have to transition to a evening/night economy in the summer forever.