India or Bharat remains one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world, especially known for its diversity in languages, customs, and traditions. Apart from its many religions and sects, India is home to innumerable castes and tribes, as well as to more than a dozen major and hundreds of minor linguistic groups from several language families unrelated to one another.
Let’s have a look at the interesting facts about India.
1. The name ‘India’ is derived from the river Indus. It is a valley around which people settled in earlier times. India is the world’s oldest, largest and continuous civilization – the Indus Valley civilization.
India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history.
2. India is also the second-largest English speaking country in the world.
3. India is known for its largest Hindu population of about 81%.
4. Indian railway employs more than a million people, making it the largest employers in the world.
5. India is the world’s largest milk producer, with 16 per cent of global production, followed by the United States of America, China, Pakistan, and Brazil.
6. India leads the world with the largest number of films.
7. Over 4700 daily newspapers in more than 300 languages are produced in India.
8. ‘Zero’ was invented by Aryabhatta. Calculus, Trigonometry and Algebrawere all originated in India.
9. The game of ‘Chess’ was invented in India.
10. ‘Yoga’ was originated from India and is still in existence for over 5000 years.
11. Takshila, the first-ever university in the world started around 700 BC in India. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
12. The World’s First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The shikhara of the temple is made from a single 80-tonne piece of granite. This magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola.
13. Sushruta is regarded as the Father of Surgery. Over2600 years ago Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones, plastic surgery and brain surgeries.
14. The Baily Bridge is the highest bridge in the world. It is located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains. It was built by the Indian Army in August 1982.
15. The Padmanabha Swami Temple in Thiruvananthapuram is the world’s richest temple.
16. The first rocket was so light and small that it was transported on a bicycle to the Thumba Launching Station in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
17. Kumbh Mela is the largest religious gathering on Earth, which is held every 12 years in Uttar Pradesh.
18. India has the first floating Post office on Dal Lake in Srinagar.
19. The Tirupati Balaji temple and the Kashi Vishwanath Temple both, receive more visitors than the Vatican City and Mecca combined.
20. India has the largest number of vegetarians in the world, making it the largest vegetarian-friendly country in the world.
