50 Interesting Facts About India
50 interesting facts about India that you might not know:
1. India is the most multilingual country in the world. More than 400 languages and dialects are spoken there.
2. In India, it is common to see men walking hand in hand. This is merely a sign of close friendship and has no sexual connotation.
3. Many refer to the inhabitants of India as Hindus, which is incorrect. A Hindu is a person whose religion is Hinduism. Since India also has a significant number of Muslims, Christians, and representatives of other religions who are not Hindus, the correct term to use is - INDIAN.
4. About one-third of India's population are strict vegetarians, excluding even eggs from their diet. Because of this, there are many restaurants (pure vegetarian) that serve only vegetarian food.
5. In India, cows are considered sacred animals. Therefore, they roam freely on the streets of Indian cities.
6. Sometimes, as a gesture of "yes," some Indians may shake their heads from side to side, which can confuse foreigners who may interpret it as a negation.
7. There are no traffic rules in India as such. Cars, motorcycles, pedestrians, carts, and cows mix on the roads into a single mass. At first glance, this may seem like complete chaos to a foreigner. However, there is a sort of unspoken mutual understanding among all road users, which prevents traffic jams from forming.
8. If you decide to use a city bus in India, be prepared for your bus not to stop at the bus stop, or to stop in the middle of the road, or 100 meters further/closer to the stop. You may also often have to jump on or off buses while they are moving. City buses have their own traffic rules that are understood only by Indians.
9. The most popular mode of transport in India is motorcycles and mopeds. They are perfect for navigating the congested Indian roads. They are very easy to buy and sell even for foreigners, and you are almost never asked for a driver's license.
10. The most comfortable and inexpensive way to travel in India is by train. It is a great way to see the beauty of the country.
11. In the cheapest classes of Indian trains, tickets can be sold without a seat. As a result, these cars can be packed with as many people as they can physically accommodate. In the most extreme cases, people may hang out of the train doors or even ride on the roof. Any tourist can also experience this "attraction" by purchasing a ticket in the corresponding class.
12. Indians love spicy food, and sometimes you may be served something incredibly spicy, even garnished with a couple of chili peppers. Indians can eat this without difficulty, as they have been consuming such food since childhood, and their taste buds have become somewhat desensitized to spiciness.
13. India is the largest democracy in the world by population: 1 billion, 200 million people.
14. Indians are very fond of foreigners. People will often try to meet you and take photos with you on the streets.
15. Indian streets can be very dirty, as Indians do not care much about their cleanliness. Despite this, they are very clean in relation to their own homes. Indian homes are always clean and tidy.
16. India is the most multi-ethnic country. It is home to more than 400 ethnic groups.
17. In India, the prices for visiting many tourist attractions can differ by 10-15 times for tourists and locals. The record for this difference is the famous Taj Mahal. (entrance: 10 rupees for locals, 750 for foreigners).
18. India produces more than 1000 films annually.
19. Indians love to sing and dance. This is why it is so reflected in their cinema. Indian films almost never lack songs and dances.
20. The Indian calendar has 6 seasons: Spring, Summer, Monsoon, Autumn, Winter, Early Spring.
21. Mumbai is the richest yet the poorest city in India. Nowhere else in the country will you find such a contrast of sparkling skyscrapers and entire neighborhoods of slums.
22. Shampoo was first invented in India. But not as a commercial product, rather as a hair care product. The word "Shampoo" comes from the Sanskrit "champu," which means - to massage.
23. India is the second country in the world (after the USA) in terms of the number of English speakers.
24. Alcohol in India is sold exclusively in specially designated stores, just like cigarettes.
25. The most popular taxi in India is the auto rickshaw, or as locals call it, the tuk-tuk. They are perfect for navigating the narrow crowded streets of India and can be hailed from virtually anywhere.
26. India has over 300,000 active mosques. This is more than in any other, even Islamic country.
27. The numbers we use today were invented in India. The concept of zero was also invented in India.
28. India has very cheap hotels, especially in tourist areas where there is high competition among them. In some cities, you can rent a great room with all amenities for just 500 rupees (8 dollars).
29. India does not have time zone divisions. The entire country operates on a single time.
30. The swastika symbol, which in the modern world is firmly associated with the Nazi regime, has been used in India since ancient times as a symbol of life, happiness, and prosperity. Even today, the swastika can be seen everywhere on the streets of Indian cities.
31. By law, it is prohibited to export the national currency from India in an amount exceeding 5000 rupees.
32. In East Bengal, by law, every cow must have an identification card with a photo.
33. 70% of all spices in the world are exported from India.
34. India has a larger population than North and South America combined.
35. The Indian airline GoAir hires only women for its aircraft staff, as they are lighter than men, which saves over half a million dollars a year on fuel.
36. It is expected that by 2050, India will surpass China to become the most populous country in the world.
37. Indian women own 11% of the world's total gold reserves, which is more than the gold reserves of the USA, Switzerland, and Germany combined.
38. 70% of young Indians prefer to enter into arranged marriages rather than choosing their partner themselves.
39. The term "India" comes from the name of the Indus River. The ancient Greeks referred to Indians as Indoi (people of the Indus).
40. Chess was invented in India in the 5th-6th centuries AD.
41. Before the British invasion in the 17th century, India was one of the richest countries in the world.
42. India exports software to more than 90 countries around the world.
43. The history of yoga in Indian culture spans over 5,000 years.
44. 100 million years ago, India was an island that then collided with the Eurasian continent, forming the Himalayan mountains.
45. India has the third-largest army in the world (after the USA and China).
46. The holy city of Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world, believed to be over 3000 years old.
47. India has a huge income inequality. There are about one million millionaires in the country, while 35% of the population lives on less than 2 dollars a day.
48. Officially, the name of India in many Indian languages is Bharat ()
49. The President of India performs only representative functions and does not participate much in the governance of the country; in fact, the head of state is the Prime Minister.
50. The most famous Indian resort, Goa, belonged to Portugal until 1961 and was annexed by India as a result of a military operation.
