As temperatures in Bengaluru continue to climb, residents are struggling to cope with the increasing heat that has transformed their daily lives. Over the past few decades, Bengaluru’s temperature has increased at a rate of about 0.23 degrees Celsius per decade since 1975. More alarmingly, since 2009 this trend has really picked up the pace, with temperatures rising by close to 0.5 degrees Celsius. This April in the city, temperatures were hitting just about 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). In retaliation, an enormous number of families had to resort to ingenuity in order to escape the extreme heat indoors.
Zakia Begum, a local villager and mother, explains the measures her family has taken to adapt with increasing heat. They now sleep on a bedsheet spread over a charpai, a traditional woven bed, as it remains cooler than sleeping on mattresses. Before that, Zakia was living in a home that had a tin roof, cooking indoors with such conditions being intolerable. In order to combat this increased heat, she and her husband relocated to a shelter made of tarp.
In much the same way, Khustabi Begum encounters obstacles when she returns home. Her new home is an underground box with just one tall window that opens onto a bustling freeway. While there may be the opportunity to get some fresh air, these buildings’ poor ventilation renders it nearly impossible to cool down indoors. We do not open the window except during the extended power outages,” recalled her daughter Noor Nagina. She focused in on the family’s continuous fight to cope with the unrelenting heat.
In addition to physical discomfort, the rising temperatures have health implications, particularly for women who often bear the brunt of household responsibilities. Allamelu John, an active home care worker, changed her dinner plans. She has since switched to cooking in the early mornings and late evenings to avoid having to work during the day’s worst heat. “Our kitchens are tiny and don’t have exhaust fans, so it’s extremely challenging to do that,” she said.
Swati Surampally, member of the Rajendra Nagar-based NGO, Swabhimaan. She noted that the impact of indoor heat on women’s health and productivity merited particular attention here. “Women face a triple burden: they manage paid work alongside domestic chores, endure prolonged exposure while cooking in unventilated spaces, and often eat last or inadequately,” she explained. Combined, these factors render indoor heat a profoundly gendered and understudied health issue.
In light of these alarming trends, a review of ten city-level Heat Action Plans (HAPs) revealed some troubling discoveries. To our knowledge, only Rajkot and Bhubaneshwar have actively worked to publicly acknowledge indoor heat vulnerability. Swati Surampally stated, “Overall, while a few plans highlight indoor heat risks, there is a significant gap in comprehensive, scalable strategies to address these challenges.”
Families in Rajendra Nagar often use clay pots to help store their water and keep it cool. They love their periodic gulps of cold clean water from these jugs. Khustabi Begum explained, “We are always drinking matke ka paani, the cold water from clay pots, and yes, we go out sometimes as well but there is not other option to save ourselves from the heat inside.”
As a result, most families are dependent on water tankers for their supply. They frequently buy just a few gallons of water at a time — adding to the impossible difficulty of keeping cool. This constant fight reinforces the critical necessity for better infrastructure and support systems. Bengaluru’s climate action plan addresses the increasing heat head on.
Zakia Begum lamented the current conditions: “This summer feels different. There’s no breeze. She said that she is sometimes sitting by the door trying to get air, but that’s coming less and less often.” She continued, “They say the only thing you can do is drink lots of water.”
As Bengaluru wrestles with its warming climate, residents continue to search for solutions amidst the rising temperatures that make both indoor and outdoor living challenging.