Suratgarh, Rajasthan – It was just about 9:00 in the morning. Outside temperature was already a notch above 41 Celsius. One could feel the scorching loo and the intensely shining sun. I could hardly open my eyes or look up at the bland sky. Scarcely anyone was on the road. Other than the halwais and a few kiryana stores the market was shut and quiet. A few shops had their shutters half-open while the townspeople were still deciding whether to step out or not. Along with the searing breeze came the tempting smell of frying pakoras. A few people waited patiently outside the Pawan Namkeen Bhandar which is famous for its Mirchi Pakoras, Mirchi Kachoris, and spiced-up paneer pakoras. One must surrender to such temptations and dare to step out of the car even at the risk of heat-stroke. Also, the fiery breath of the Thar desert can only be countered with blazing ‘mirchi vada’ as they are called here. ​While the famous Mathania chilli from Western Rajasthan awaits GI recognition, the entire belt of Hanumangarh, Sangaria, Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Jodhpur and Surathgarh is famous for its fried Namkeen savories and hot chilli products.