At 50.8 degrees, here's how Churu is adapting to 'living inside a furnace'

At 10:30 am, roads are deserted in Rajasthan’s Churu. Public places such as bus stands and railway stations are desolate. It seems like all life in Churu has been vaporised by an unforgiving sun.

The smouldering heat has made the district almost inhabitable.

Churu recorded a maximum temperature of 50.8 degrees Celsius in this week, making it the hottest place on the planet. The temperature in the district has hovered around 50 degrees the entire week, compelling people to change their biological clocks and eating habits in order to somehow bear the blistering heat.

Also known as the 'Gateway to Thar Desert of Rajasthan', Churu has been known for record temperatures — sub-zero during winter and around 50 degrees during peak summer afternoons. It is located about 300 km from Delhi, and about 200 km from Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan.

To add the woes of people, there are power cuts during wee hours. A new item on their grocery list is ice. People throng to shops early in the morning to stock their supplies, and bring back at least 10-12 kg of ice to put in their water tanks and coolers.

With the heat taking centrestage in their daily lives, it also seems to have killed the appetite of Churu’s people. Chaach (buttermilk), raw onion and chapati have become staple breakfast, with people skipping lunch altogether.

“During such weather, it is better to fill oneself with fluids. The more you consume oily stuff and carbohydrates, the greater the chances of compounding health problems,” Dr Goga Ram, Principal Medical Officer, Churu government hospital, told The Times Of India. At least 70 people, suffering from various heat-related issues, are admitted in the hospital.

Farmers in the district have started hitting the fields at 4 am, when the temperature is a little over 35 degrees Celsius.  However, the heat is the toughest on nomadic tribes, such as Gadiya-Lohars, who do odd jobs to make ends meet. They have started donning wet clothes to protect themselves from the severe heat.