As sisters throughout India prepare their thalis and brothers dig into their wallets with nervous anticipation, Raksha Bandhan, one of India's most lovable festivities, arrives this weekend. Yet, there is something else which has changed subtly in the backdrop of this precious festival: the climate.
A more detailed look at temperatures in North India over the last five Raksha Bandhan days reveals a trend, one that indicates the overall shift in our climate.
Let's take a brief trip down memory lane
Last year, in 2021, Rakhi fell on August 22. The day was hot all over Delhi, Lucknow and Jaipur, with mercury reaching the higher 30s (°C). Monsoon had nearly packed its bags, but humidity remained like a unwanted guest.
2022's 11th August Rakhi greeted a mix of sunlight and surprise showers. Roads were wet, but tempers weren't, and families were tying rakhis beneath flickering tube lights during those vintage mid-day power cuts.
Then 2023 came with Raksha Bandhan falling on day August 30. It was considerably milder. The second half of the monsoon showed some largesse in terms of cloud cover, and a drizzle or two lent a romantic background score to the festive hurry.
But 2024, August 19th, had a different story to share. Delhiites sweltered under a obstinate sky. No rain, but dry dusty air. The sun in the afternoon felt like a blowtorch.
Which brings us to 2025. Rakhi is on August 9, and as much as forecasts suggest it'll be hot, a typical North Indian August afternoon, it might spare the partygoers the worst. With temperatures hovering between 32–34°C, and a flirt of cloud playfully nagging the sun, there's every chance of the weather gods showing mercy. Said this, a couple of thunderstorms in the evening isn't unthinkable.
If there is one trend that's sneaking a peek out behind the curtain, it's this: Rakhi days are becoming hotter, more ambiguous. The faithful old monsoon seems to have developed a habit of being tardily fashionable, or worse still, lukewarm at times.
Weather authorities say North India is experiencing a subdued but relentless rise in temperatures during August, the very heart of India's festival season. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had predicted increased heat stress in South Asia, and it seems Raksha Bandhan is no exception either.
And still, amidst all this, the festival spirit does not dissipate.
Chandni Chowk bazaars are buzzing. Mithaiwalas are moving briskly. Schoolchildren are making homemade rakhis. And the damp sweat brow and restrictive AC aside, families are congregating, tying threads that bind hearts together despite Fahrenheit.
As 2025's Raksha Bandhan approaches, it's not necessarily weather and digits. It's about moments spent together between kaju katli bites, laughter merged with the rustle of cotton sarees, and a random sign of relief at "kitni garmi hai iss saal bhi na.
Seasons shift, temperatures rise, but the affection for brother and sister? That, as always, is limitless.
