There is no other land that conjures an image of colors, smells, bustling streets and stunning scenery like India.
From the smell of spices wafting to the amazing sights like the Taj Mahal, wherever you go your senses are attacked from all directions.
Here we’re going to look at 50 facts about this beautiful Asian country.
In August 2011, a post office was inaugurated in Dal Lake, Srinagar. This post office isn’t just any post office like one of the other 55,000+ others, this office floats.
In 1861, the village Mawsynram is officially the wettest place in the world, receiving the highest annual average rainfall in the whole world.
The Mumbai bridge; Bandra-Worli Sea Link cost $250 million and took over 25,000,000 hours to complete.
Any companies with over 100 staff are required by law to consult the government over firing someone and are unable to do so if the government decline.
The flying of a kite is illegal under a 1934 law, which classes kites as an aircraft – unless given police authority.
The highest point in the country is 28,170 ft. (8,586 meters) in Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world.
The four tastes we have in western cooking; sour, sweet, savory and salty, becomes extended in India to include; spicy and astringent. Astringent substances can include a very dry red wine.
The roads in India are capable of being wrapped around the world almost 120 times.
Indians consume the most whiskey of any country; a whopping 50% of the entire world’s supply.
Plastic Surgery could have originated in India with written proof of reconstructive surgery being done in 800BC.
The left hand in India is deemed unclean as it would be used as a tool for splashing water to clean oneself after using the lavatory instead of toilet paper.
Chess originates from the Sanskrit game chaturanga; the word actually means “four members of an army”.
The Saffron in the Indian flag symbolizes sacrifice and courage, the white symbolizes truth and peace.
The ‘wheel’ in the center of the flag is actually a Buddhist wheel of life or dharma chakra.
In 100 B.C., the decimal system and the method of using 1-10 to displaying every possible number was invented in India.
In 1987, the Indian cricket Fielder Sachin Tendulkar crossed the field to play for Pakistan when the team was short of players.
In 1999, a goal was scored by India against Bhutan in 11 seconds.
The Hindu calendar has 2 more seasons than the western 4, these are monsoon that comes just before autumn, and prevernal that comes after winter.
Apparently the air in Mumbai is that polluted that 1 day’s breathing equates to 100 cigarettes being smoked.
The national animal of India is actually an endangered animal; the Bengal Tiger. There are less than 2,500 Bengal Tigers in the entire world.
Even though Cricket, a British introduction, is India’s most popular sport, the country’s national sport is hockey.
An Indian restaurant in Bradford, U.K. seats over 800 diners in an old Chapel. This restaurant, the Aakash, is the largest Indian restaurant in the world.
Coke is used as a form of pesticide in some areas of India including Chattisgarh due to the price being much lower than commercial pesticides.
Raziya Sultana, a prominent figure in Indian history, was murdered in 1240 after being India’s first female leader.
Initially a source of sustenance rather than praise, the national bird of India is the peacock.
In August 1947 India gained its independence from the British after a long and grueling fight.
In 1950 Rabindranath Tagore’s composition The Jana Gana Mana was recognized in India as the national anthem.
The word ‘shampoo’ is actually Indian. It derives from the word ‘Champu’, a Sanskrit word for ‘massage’.
There are 844 dialects in India of the total 17 major languages spoken.
India is 1.27 million sq. miles which makes it the 7th largest country in the entire world, but still 3 times smaller than the U.S.
The Lotus Temple in Delhi has 27 enormous petals covered in marble.
In complete opposition to other women in India, Widows would wear white instead of colorful fabrics.
About 70% of the world’s animal spices come from India.
India is the only country who has never attacked any country in its history.
A Bichiya is a wedding ring unlike the rest of the worlds; the jewelry is worn on the toe.
India has the lowest divorce rate even with arranged marriages still being the most common type of marriage.
The Victoria Cross was granted to 38 Indians after WWII.
A blocked toilet was the cause of a Jesus statue’s dripping base in India that many would drink due to the belief it was spiritual.
A world record was set in 2016 for planting almost 50 million trees in 24 hours in India.
A meteor struck an Indian bus driver and killing him in 2016.
A Mumbai thief was forced to consume 48 bananas by police after he was caught and swallowed a stolen chain.
The word ‘candy’ comes from the Indian word for crystallized sugar; Khanda.
The worlds most recognized Indian dish; the Tikka Masala, is actually a British invention deriving from Scotland.
In India, the moustache is classed as a respected symbol of authority with certain positions, with policemen even receiving more pay just simply for having a moustache.
Every cow must have a Photo ID in West Bengal due to issues with smuggling the species.
Since 2004, a polling station is erected in a forest for one voter, a temple priest, to cast his vote.
Over 23,000 people speak a language called ‘anal’ or Namfu in India and Burma.
One Indian airline only hires female hostesses to save on fuel due to their lesser weight.
Over 100,000 people get fed at a temple in India simply for turning up. There is no requirement but the meals are always vegetarian.
In 2017, Odisha reached a staggering 114 °F (45.5 °C); one resident was seen cooking an egg in an oiled frying pan directly on the street without any fire or heat source other than the temperature outdoors.
A melting pot of religions, languages and cultures engulf the cities of India and a tourist this is a sight to behold.
The country’s development can literally be seen as you travel from place to place, going higher and higher as others have so little.
Wherever you go in India you’re bound to find something to amaze you.
Whether good or bad, and that’s the charm of one of the most populous countries across the world the simplicity and complexity.
Remember to watch your actions though and keep in line with even the strangest of laws or you’ll potentially face some unusual punishments.
