Pollution
Pollution will vary depending on where you are in India, but it is worthy of a specific note given the prevalence of this more unpleasant aspect of the country. Delhi is however the worst culprit and pollution levels can be terrible.
The worst time of the year for such is over the winter when the temperatures are cooler and following on from the season of stubble burning which farmers in neighbouring regions do during the autumn. Plus, Diwali also serves as a catalyst for increasing pollution levels due to the sheer abundance of fireworks which are set off. Therefore, it is usual for late October onwards to be heavily polluted and for this to last through till warmer conditions return in late February or March. Even then for the remainder of the year the air quality is still bad relative to what you may be used to outside of India, with it very rarely dipping into levels which can be described as acceptable.
In the winter the AQI levels regularly hit 500+. I have personally seen it max out at 1000, which to my understanding is the upper limit of any form of measuring / reporting. Being outside in 500 AQI is described as equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Staying indoors and using air purifiers is therefore important.
Air purifiers are easily attainable, and Amazon has a diverse selection to choose from. My advice is that buying a few of these for your apartment is one of the most important investments you should make. I have two in my living room, and one in my bedroom. Of the two in my living room, one is an expensive and higher end model. These do a great job in removing the toxicity from the air and are vital in ensuring the air quality indoors is brought down to much safer levels. You can even get air purifiers for cars, and if you do have your own vehicle then this is something I would recommend.
It is also sensible in the very worst conditions to wear a face mask, and this is common and not an unusual sight.
JC in India 