As temperatures in Rajasthan soar above 45°C, a Border Security Force (BSF) soldier has gone viral for cooking a papad in the scorching sand near the International border in Bikaner.

The video shows the soldier placing the papad in the hot sand for a few seconds before revealing its crispiness, indicating it is thoroughly cooked and ready to eat.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for "heatwave to severe heatwave" conditions across most of West Rajasthan and parts of East Rajasthan. The state has been experiencing extreme heatwave conditions since May 17, according to the Met department.

Online, people praised the soldier for enduring such harsh conditions to protect the country. Some attributed the intense heat to global warming.

"Patriots salute these brave Indian soldiers for protecting us in such extreme conditions," commented a user on X (formerly Twitter). Another user remarked, "Our soldiers are always protecting us, whether it's 47 degrees or -47 degrees!"

Many netizens linked the rising temperatures to global warming, urging the world to take climate change seriously to prevent further deterioration. Some, exhausted by the relentless heat, expressed a longing for rain.

"Take money but please make it rain; this heat is unbearable," one user pleaded. Another mentioned canceling a planned trip to Bikaner, saying, "Will have to postpone until it rains."

IMD Heatwave Warnings

राजस्थान में भीषण गर्मी का दौर जारी है। भीषण गर्मी से रेत इतनी गर्म हो गई की कुछ सेंकड में ही पक गया पापड़। BSF जवान का पापड़ सेकते हुए वीडियो सामने आया है। बीकानेर का तापमान 45 डिग्री तो जैसलमेर जिले में दिन का पारा 48 डिग्री सेल्सियस तक दर्ज किया गया।#summer #bsf #heatwave pic.twitter.com/dAlDwPNRE8

— Piyush Goyal (@goyalpp) May 22, 2024

Beyond Rajasthan, the IMD has also issued red alerts for severe heatwave conditions in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, and West Uttar Pradesh. Orange alerts are in place for East Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and West Madhya Pradesh, while yellow alerts cover East Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha, Himachal Pradesh, the Jammu division, and Madhya Maharashtra.

On May 21, maximum temperatures ranged from 44-47°C in many parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. Similar temperatures were recorded in isolated areas of West Uttar Pradesh.

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