India is one of the most culturally rich and diverse countries in the world, with a rich history spanning thousands of years. From ancient temples to modern technology, India is home to some of the most fascinating and surprising facts that may come as a surprise to many.
India has a village named Snapdeal.com Nagar… Do you know? Plastic Surgery was performed in India even before Christ. Unthinkable, right? But it is true. And you know there is a restaurant in India where people dine next to the grave. Really??? Yes, Indeed!
So, if you believe you know everything about India, we bet you don’t. India surprises with tons of interesting facts you might have never heard before.
Curious??? Scroll down and read on to know more:
Yes! You heard it right. More than 100 million years ago, India was an island and even a part of Antarctica. It rifted from the supercontinent of Gondwana during the Cretaceous period (a geological period about 145 to 66 million years ago) and collided with Asia nearly 55 million years ago, forming the Himalayas. Fossilized seashells found high in the mountains provided further proof.
The name ‘India‘ is derived from the River Indus, on the banks of which the first Indian civilization was formed.
With around 1.4 billion-plus inhabitants, India now became he First most populous country in the world after the People’s Republic of China. According to predictions, India remains as the world’s most populous nation by the year 2050 and the population of China will continue to fall and could drop below 1 billion before the end of the century.
Second, only to the US, India has around 10% of its populace or 125 million people fluent in English. In the next decade, this statistic is expected to quadruple.
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Settled on the banks of the holy river Ganges in the state of Uttar Pradesh, the holy city of Varanasi (Banaras or Kashi) is at least 5000 years old. Hinduism, the oldest religion in existence, was founded here.
Plastic Surgery wasn’t a modern invention after all – it was already being practised in India by 2000 BC. Not just Plastic Surgery, but also other complicated surgeries like dental surgery, cataract surgery, artificial limbs, Rhinoplasty (restoration of a damaged nose), caesareans, and even brain surgery were first performed by the ancient Indian physician Sushruta, without the sophisticated instruments of today. Sushruta is widely regarded as the ‘Father of Indian Surgery and Ophthalmology’.
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Established in the 5th century AD in the historical city of Rajgir in Bihar, the University of Nalanda is considered the world’s first completely residential international university. It was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education and attracted students and scholars from various parts of the world like Korea, China, Japan, Turkey, Tibet, Indonesia, and Persia.
The concept of Zero, as well as Algebra, Trigonometry, and Calculus, was given by India. The ancient Indian mathematician Shreedhara Acharya gave the Quadratic Equation, which is also known as Shreedhara Acharya’s formula. Bodhayana discovered the Pythagoras Theorem 300 years before Pythagoras did. Aryabhatta revealed the form of the Earth and that it spun on its axis much before Copernicus.
There are more than 300,000 active mosques in India.
Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple is the richest temple in the world. It is situated in Thiruvananthapuram, in the South Indian state of Kerala and is dedicated to Lord Maha Vishnu.
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Situated in the Indian city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh, this stunning white marble mausoleum is a remarkable man-made manifestation of the glorious Mughal era, an awe-inspiring testament to eternal love, and a stunning symbol of India’s rich heritage, moreover one of the seven wonders of the world. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
It is situated in Tirupati in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Around 50,000 to 1,00,000 devotees (30 to 40 million people annually on average) visit this holy shrine daily, relatively higher as compared to Mecca and Rome.
The rocket was so light and small that it was transported on a bicycle to the Thumba Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala which was originally a Catholic church, St Mary Magdalene Church. The church’s cattle shedbecame the laboratory where the scientists like Dr APJ Abdul Kalam worked and the Bishop’s room his drawing office. The site now houses India’s famed Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre.
At Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, in the Indian State of Rajasthan, you can find the world’s largest Sundial, standing 27 metres tall. Also known as the “Vrihat Samrat Yantra” or “Supreme Instrument”, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in India.
Built on top of an old Muslim cemetery, the New Lucky Restaurant in Ahmedabad, India, has been a popular local hangout for over 50 years. The owner decided to simply construct his restaurant around the graves rather than move them, placing tables next to the caskets and allowing guests to dine near them.
Shani Shingnapur village in Maharashtra has no locks or doors. The houses and even shops in this village are always left unlocked and locals never feel unsafe as they believe Lord Shani will guard them.
Snap deal, an online couponing company has adopted a remote village (Shiv Nagar in Uttar Pradesh) in India and enabled clean drinking water facilities for its people by installing manual pumps. As a way to show their gratitude, the residents of the village decided to rename their village, Snapdeal.com Nagar.
The Indian rail network is the largest in Asia. It has 7,172 stations and carries a whopping 23 million people daily in 12, 617 trains.
The holiest temple in the Sikh faith, Golden Temple is situated in Amritsar, in the Indian state of Punjab. It is also known to freely accommodate visitors overnight too.
Known as Auroville, this experiential township is located in Pondicherry. People from different countries live here together in unity and harmony above all creeds, all politics, and all cultures.
The Karni Mata Temple in Rajasthan is one of the strangest holy spots in India where rats are worshipped.
The Channapatna Dog Temple in Karnataka worships Dogs.
The Bullet Baba Temple is devoted to a 350cc Royal Enfield ‘deity’ and the offering here is beer, of the ‘Bullet’ brand.
People offers toy planes at Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh Gurudwara, popularly known as ‘Hawaijahaj‘ (Aeroplane) Gurudwara in hopes to travel abroad. It is situated in Jalandhar in Punjab.
Sathuranga Vallabhanathar Temple in Tamil Nadu is dedicated to the deity of Chess. Lord Shiva is the presiding deity of the temple who is known by the name Sathuranga Vallabhanathar, the Lord of Chess.
Kodinhi, a village in Kerala’s Malappuram district comprises of majorly twins. As the reason for this genetic cause is still unknown, it remains a mystery to the scientific world. Kodinhi is popularly known as Twin Town of India.
The Statue of Unity in the Indian State of Gujarat, standing majestically at a height of 182 metres (597 feet) is the world’s tallest statue. A monumental tribute to the visionary Indian statesman Shri. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, known as the ‘Iron Man of India’.
The Arch-Shaped Chenab Bridge in Jammu and Kashmir, featuring a height of 1,178 feet is the world’s highest rail bridge. It is about 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower.
Maharashtra‘s best-kept secret, Lonar Lake was created by a plummeting meteor about 52,000 years ago.
The Chisumle-Demchok Road in Ladakh, which passes the Umling Pass is the highest motorable road in the world. It lies at an altitude of over 19,000 feet.
India‘s very own floating post office is more than 200 years old. It is located on the beautiful Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
Located in the Ladakh Valley at an altitude of 5,602 meters (18,379 ft.) above sea level, this 30-meter-long bridge was constructed by the Indian Army.
With a massive seating capacity of 1,32,000 people, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat is the biggest cricket stadium in the world. Also, it is the only cricket stadium in the world to have 11 centre pitches and 4 player dressing rooms.
Chail Cricket Ground is located at 2444 meters above sea level which make it the highest cricket ground in the world.
Kumbh Mela is attended by more than 130 million people irrespective of caste, creed or gender and the gathering is so huge that the crowds can be seen from outer space. The festival is held at Allahabad, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nasik every four years by rotation.
Mawsynram in Meghalaya, India receives an average annual rainfall of 11,873 mm, making it the wettest inhabited place on Earth.
It is estimated that around 29%-42% of India’s population is strictly vegetarian. There are over 100 fully vegan restaurants throughout the country and the majority of them are found in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Auroville.
Chess is one of the oldest games in the world that is still played and it was invented in India around the 6th Century AD.
Snake and Ladder, another popular board game regarded today as a worldwide classic is also originated in ancient India as Mokshapat or Moksha Patam to teach young children about morals and karma. It was later transported to England by the colonial rulers with some modifications.
The game of Snooker was conceived in Jabalpur in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh in 1875, and it was at the Ootacamund Club in Ooty, Tamilnadu where it took shape.
Yoga was developed by the Indus-Sarasvati civilization in Northern India over 5,000 years ago. It is believed that Martial Arts was first originated in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist missionaries.
Shampooing is an ancient Indian practice that dates back to 1500 AD. It was a young Indian barber named Sake Dean Mahomed from Patna who invented ‘shampoo‘ and introduced it to the world.
India handles over 67% of the world’s outsourcing. The Indian IT sector is estimated to be worth $150 billion.
Every year in the month of July, the elephants of the famous Guruvayur Temple in the South Indian state of Kerala are pampered with spa treatments at the Punnathoor Cotta Elephant Yard (Anakkotta).
In terms of records cited in the Guinness Book of Records, India comes in third place behind the US and the UK.
In Concluding, with its rich culture, diverse languages, ancient civilization, vibrant colors, various cine industries, spirituality, wildlife, and festivals, India is just some of the things that make it truly unique. Whether you’re planning to visit India or just want to learn more about this fascinating country, there’s always something new to discover.
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