It looks like it is going to be hot with scattered thundershowers when I am in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur next week. Do people bother with raincoats when it rains, or do they just get wet and dry out when the sun comes out? (I lived in Gainesville, Florida for a few years, and no one bothered with raincoats there.)

I'd rather go the umbrella way with light linen/cotton clothes or other quick drying clothes. That seems to be what plenty of people do there.

India is country which has a proper "monsoon season" (June - Aug) and generally when it rains it rains hard / very hard and mostly for 1-2 days minimum or more. It is not very common for rain to come once the monsoon season is over....unlike US where it keeps raining all through the year.

So you most have slipper / shoes that don't absorb water aka rain shoes. Light cotton cloths dry easily. Polyester / synthetic cloths are better because they dry faster and don�t gather mud which I common in India during rains. Umbrella is a must. Rain coats don't protect in that hard rain.

And yes, walk carefully if you see flooding there might be an open man hole, that will engulf you. If you arew careful you will enjoy India.

Very good advice here for the Delhi/Agra/Jaipur areas. ^

I agree with above posts... but here is my 2c on avoiding Raincoats.

Personally I avoid raincoats in India because it gets very uncomfortable
wearing them in the hot and humid weather. Breathable raincoats/raincoats
simply wont work with the heavy rain.

Best bet is a good large umbrella and water-proof boots (or rubber boots)
I generally use old sneakers and hose them down with clean water later..
but not everybody could do that.

Thank you for all the helpful advice. I'm glad I asked because I was planning to pack a raincoat and it takes up a lot of room in my luggage.

I was thinking of wearing Teva (rubber) sandals in the rain because they are made for walking in rivers. Is that a bad idea because of what I am likely to be stepping in? I don't own a pair of rain boots (I'm a Californian) but I assume that I can buy them easily in India if necessary.

In general, sandals would be ideal. but if it rains hard, you may want to
fully cover your feet. I think you should be able to buy something locally.
You may not have a lot of choice.. but you should be alright IMO.

Just dont carry too much stuff along with you from here. buy what you
need. It wont cost you too much there.

Lets hope for no rain.

I keep checking the weather report. I'm leaving the U.S. on Wednesday and the forecast is for scattered thundershowers in Delhi all week. I think I've settled on bringing one of those really cheap rain panchos that folds up into nothing. If I want to stay dry for some reason I'll use it, and it doesn't take up much space. I'll also take the rubber sandals and buy something more if I need to. It rained the entire time I was in Japan in July and the Teva sandals were great.

All the travel books I've read about India say that, in order to avoid unwanted attention, it's best for a woman travelling alone to wear shapeless clothes and not show too much skin. It's amazingly liberating not to feel that I have to look fashionable during my trip.

weather is really bad at the moment.. i've been following it for a while.
when it rains..it really rains.

Hope you have a pleasant trip!