India interesting facts about the country. Interesting facts from the life of Indian society

India is an amazing country. But what do we know about her? Let's open the curtain a little and learn about its strange customs, culture and traditions.

Below are 12 interesting facts about India that will surely surprise you!

1. All major world religions are represented in India

Although 80 percent of Indians are followers of Hinduism, an interesting fact is that the country is home to a large number of large communities and all world religions. Christian communities and churches can be found in Kerala and Goa. Judaism in India is represented at Kohi Fort in Kerala.

Also, followers of Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism and other religions coexist in different regions of India.

2. India has the largest number of vegetarians in the world

Although not all Hindus are vegetarians, and not all Indians are Hindus, vegetarianism is an important part of the traditional beliefs and traditions of Hinduism. Approximately 20-40% of Indians are vegetarians, making India the largest vegetarian country in the world.

3. India is the second largest English-speaking country in the world

The number of people who speak English here is slightly less than in the US. Another interesting fact about India is that English language is one of the 22 official languages of India, and an auxiliary official language government along with Hindi. Only 10% of Indians know English, and a small minority speak it as their first language, but in a country with such a large population, you can almost always find someone with whom you can communicate in it.

Landmarks of India

4. Kumbh Mela is the largest gathering of people in the world

Kumbh Mela is a rite of Hindu pilgrimage, which is getting bigger every year. It is held every three years in one of the cities of Allahabad, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain, but the meeting in Allahabad, which is held every 12 years, is the largest and most sacred. An interesting fact: in 2013 the festival attracted about 100 million people.

5. India has long been a center of fashion

Among the interesting facts about India is that since ancient times, Indian fabrics have been sold all over the world, and the country has long been known as the producer of the best cotton and silk. One of the consequences of British colonialism was the impoverishment of Indian textile manufacturers.

Today, the Indian fashion industry is once again flourishing, with fashion weeks regularly taking place in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. Also in India, many traditions have been preserved, such as hand weaving and hand stuffing.

6. Step wells can be found throughout the desert

In the dry climate of northern and western India, water is not always available to the public and often has to be extracted from underground. Many stepwells in Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat have been carved and decorated like temples with zigzag steps with many tunnels and balconies that lead to the water.

Some of the most beautiful stepwells are Chand Baori near Jaipur and Ajalaj outside Ahmedabad.

7. Meghalaya is the rainiest inhabited place in the world

Although the arid deserts of Rajasthan in the west are better known, the northwestern state in Meghalaya is the rainiest inhabited place in the world, which is quite an interesting fact! So, for example, the village of Mawsynram receives 11,871 millimeters of rain annually.

8. Bridges made from living trees

In the state of Meghalaya, you can find amazing bridges that have been created by nature for more than 500 years. Such bridges of roots and climbing stems are much stronger than wooden bridges, which would quickly rot in the humid climate of Meghalaya.

9. India has the largest sundial in the world

The Jantar Mantar observatory complex in Jaipur and Delhi, built in the 18th century, was once a place where astronomical tables were prepared and the movements of the Sun, Moon and planets were predicted with the naked eye.

Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is the largest, and is equipped with 19 architectural astronomical instruments, including the largest sundial in the world. The observatory in Delhi is smaller but not as crowded and you can even climb some of the structures.

10. There are over 140 types of traditional Indian desserts.

An interesting fact: each region of India has its own distinctive desserts: petha - a dessert made from boiled pumpkin from Agra, daulat ki chaat, made from milk foam, which is sold in Delhi only in winter, rasagolla - Bengali balls based on milk in syrup, ghazhar ki halva , made from grated carrots and popular in the north, rice pudding kheer or jalebi are dough swirls soaked in syrup.

Indian desserts are very sweet, made with large quantity ghee and flavored with cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, coconut, rose water or nuts.

11. India has 6 seasons

According to the Hindu calendar, there are 6 seasons in India: summer, autumn, winter, spring, monsoon season and the season before winter.

12. The biggest family in the world

Among the interesting facts about India, there is one more - Zion Chana is the head of the big family in the world. He has 39 wives, 94 children and 39 grandchildren. They live in a 4-story, 100-room house in the village of Baktwang in the state of Mizoram.

03.05.2016

Much has been written about ancient India. research work, works of art and scientific treatises. And yet it remains one of the most unexplored countries, which is still a mystery to any historian - even if he devoted his whole life to studying it! What interesting facts can surprise us in Ancient India?

India received its name from the Indus River, where the tribes that originally formed the core of this state settled. Then, when the Aryans came to these lands, they renamed the river Shindu.
The very first granite palace in the world was built in ancient India. This is the Brahidesshwarar Palace, which is located in the city of Tanjur.
In the 11th century, the mathematicians of ancient India were already using quadratic equations.
Ayurvedic medicine comes from ancient India. In ancient times, Indian doctors knew how to apply anesthesia, had extensive knowledge about the structure of the human body. In addition, embryology was born in them. Information about the existence of the immune system among the ancient Indians was also available.
Ancient India had its own written language, but it was lost after this state formation fell into decay. The Aryans replaced the civilization of the Indians. They brought with them a new division of society - into varnas or castes. Since then, the caste division has firmly taken root and operates up to the present time, although, of course, it is already more conditional.
Indian castes in ancient times are Brahmins (the upper class), Kshatriyas (military), Vaishyas (merchants and artisans), Shudras (servants). The lowest level were the untouchables. All the higher castes belonged to the "twice-born", and the Shudras were called "once-born" and were obliged to devote their whole lives to serving the representatives of the higher castes. In fact, the caste division organized society and replaced the political structure that existed among other peoples.
The oldest work of written literature among the Hindus is the Vedas. This compilation age-old wisdom was born between 1500 and 1000 BC. It was the Vedas that became the source that gave rise to the two great religions of the East - Hinduism and Buddhism.
In ancient India, the position of a woman was far from being the most advantageous. There is some historical evidence that at first a woman enjoyed considerable property rights and was almost equal to a man in terms of social status. However, later it gradually lost almost all the advantages. Her life began to flow at the family hearth, and main goal her entire existence was to ensure the health and well-being of her husband. If the husband was dying, they blamed the unfortunate woman who was unable to save her earthly ruler. For the rest of her life, she had to eat miserable crumbs from someone else's table, sleep on the floor and pray incessantly to ease the fate of the deceased in heaven.
The ancient Indians worshiped water. Until now, the Ganges is considered a sacred river, where rituals are performed by the living and where the dead are washed. The ancients believed that a person, dying, loses moisture - as if it dries up, and the released water goes to the sky, and then falls in the form of precipitation. And so went the endless cycle in nature.
Special sanctuaries of the ancient inhabitants of India - stupa. They were built for 100 years. The hill served as the basis, and the spire went to heaven. Inside there are chambers with the remains of the Buddha. Sometimes they were equipped with gates on which one could read the whole history of India in pictures.

Ancient India is the birthplace of chess and mathematics, major discoveries in medicine and achievements in architecture. The greatest religions were born here, today they have the status of world ones. Immersed in the strange and full of mysteries world of Ancient India, you feel its ever-increasing attraction. Well, let's open the Vedas to draw some wisdom from this source of mantras?

Thinking about India, we draw picturesque pictures in our imagination - fabulous silks, saris, national dresses, bright headdresses, bewitching dances, extraordinary collections of jewelry, luxurious handmade carpets embroidered with gold.

Everything is present in India - fabulous wealth and poverty, majestic palaces and shacks, ancient masterpieces and modern luxury.

India is an ancient independent state in South Asia. As for the population, it is the second in the world, the seventh in terms of the size of the territory. Countries bordering India are Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar. In the period from the 18th to the 20th century, India was a colony of the British Empire.

Everything changed in 1947, when the country gained independence. As India has developed, it has made great strides in many areas. By the end of the 20th century, thanks to the right strategy, India's economy became one of the fastest growing in the world.

« Land of dreams and romance, unprecedented wealth and unprecedented poverty, luxury and poverty, palaces and shacks, famine and plague, spirits and giants, Aladdin's lamps, tigers and elephants, cobras and jungles, a country of hundreds of peoples and languages, thousands of religions and two million gods …”- these words belong to Mark Twain, they were said over 100 years ago, but, in truth, little has changed since then.

Live and learn

Reverence for knowledge distinguishing feature Indian civilization. Logic, ancient philosophy, psychology, astronomy, chemistry, religion - all these areas of ancient Indian thought are embodied in the Vedas, theories, textbooks.

Mathematics ancient india was represented by such thinkers as Aryabhatta and Varahamihira (5-6 centuries AD). They are the progenitors decimal system calculus, the discoverers of geometry and algebra, trigonometry.

The medical practices of India are valued all over the world. Treatises of ancient Indian healers on surgery, diagnostics, anesthesia and medicinal plants have survived to this day.

Indian builders, decorators, architects, artisans have made a huge contribution to the treasury of world culture. It was they who created sculptures, ensembles, temples, museums, palaces, mausoleums, massive fortresses, which for centuries amaze everyone with their grandeur.

Yoga was born here

Yoga originated in India. In India, you can start doing yoga with a real teacher - guru. In India, the guru is an indisputable authority. There are many centers in this country that aim at both a fairly deep immersion of a person in yoga and introductory training in master classes. Each center has an individual teaching style and uses its own methods in preparing students.

Holidays in India

India gives us its gorgeous beaches on the ocean and sea coasts, cozy bays with clean water, unforgettable acquaintances, meetings with history.

Material selection: Iris Revue

In details.

India has everything from saris to spicy dishes, beautiful beaches and abundant snowfalls! In this article, we will tell you interesting and surprising facts about India that will give you a better idea of the different cultures and lifestyle of this country.

Mobile factory for the production of environmentally friendly fuel briquettes

But let's continue the description of the interesting features of India.

India is famous for its rich culture and numerous traditions, which in different regions countries have their own characteristics. India, occupying fourth place in the world, has experienced a process of development in many areas, its inhabitants belong to various religions and cultures. Currently, India's economy ranks 12th in the world, and although this magnificent state is developing at a fairly fast pace, big problem remains here poverty and illiteracy. India is proud of its glorious history and is famous for its diversity, and the people of this country are especially known for their hospitality and friendly character! India is a unique country.

In the south, India is surrounded by the Indian Ocean. The western part of the country is washed by the Arabian Sea, and the eastern part by the Bay of Bengal. It borders Pakistan to the west, China, Bhutan and Nepal to the northeast, and Bangladesh and Burma to the east.

Earliest traces human life in India, found in the rock dwellings of Bhimbetka, lying on the territory of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Experts say that the most ancient settlements appeared in India during the Indus Valley Civilization.

The largest rivers flowing through India include the Brahmaputra, Ganges, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Mahanadi, Indus, Narmada and Tapti.

India is famous not only for its diverse culture, but also for contrasting climatic conditions. During your stay in India, you can become a witness various types weather conditions. In the west of India there is a desert region, in the north - glaciers, in the southwest - tropical forests that form humid tropical regions, etc. Therefore, in India, you can catch all four seasons: warm summers, wet monsoons, post-monsoon period and cool winters.

Indian music very diverse and includes many styles. The classical music of India is traditionally passed down from generation to generation. It is based on certain religious ideas and beliefs. In addition to the traditional classical genre in India, there is a very interesting fusion of folk and pop music.

India is home to many traditional dance styles. Katak, Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Manipuri, Sattriya and Mohiniattam are some of the styles of Indian classical dance. Along with these main types of classical dance, no less interesting are the folk dances of India, which are traditionally performed in a variety of colorful costumes.

Here's another interesting feature India. From an architectural point of view, India has many historically significant landmarks that clearly testify to rich history this diverse land. Hindu temples date back to the 5th century AD. Many Hindu and Buddhist temples were carved into the rocks, especially during the Middle Ages. In Indian architecture, you can see the features of such religions as Islam, Buddhism and Jainism.

India has many significant landmarks that are today considered UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Among such monuments, one should highlight the cave temples of Ajanta (Ajanta Caves), the cave temples on the island of Elephanta (Elephanta Cave), the cave temples of Ellora (Ellora Caves), the Taj Mahal (Taj Mahal), numerous beautiful churches in the city of Goa, the monuments of Hampi (Hampi) , Qutub Minar, etc.

And of course, the Kamasutra in stone: "Temples of love in India".

Along with the official language of Hindi, many other languages are spoken here. An interesting fact is that the distribution of millions of local languages depends on a certain region of the country, but according to the government of India, Sanskrit and Tamil are classical languages. In addition, India has about 22 officially recognized languages.

One of the highly respected Bengali writers is Rabindranath Tagore, in 1931 it was he who was awarded Nobel Prize on literature. He is also the author of the national anthem of India - "Jana Gana Mana" ("The Soul of the People").

In 1947, the national flag of India was adopted. Orange color symbolizes the courage and sacrifice of people who did not spare their lives for the good of the country, white symbolizes peace, and green symbolizes faith and prosperity. Central to the flag is India's national emblem, the Ashoka Chakra.

Indian cuisine traditionally uses many different spices, spices and herbs. Therefore, Indian food is considered the most diverse, since each region of the country has its own unique technology and methods of preparing unique dishes. The staple foods are rice and round bread roti (roti), as well as different kinds beans and pickled vegetables. A dish like curry has a truly unique taste and is most in demand in India.

As you know, the Indian film industry is considered the largest in the world in terms of scale. It is called "Bollywood" ("Bollywood") (a fusion of the words "Hollywood" and "Bombay"). Bollywood is synonymous with the film industry in the Indian city of Mumbai, where an astonishing number of films are produced every year (about 800 films a year). Bollywood movies have spread from India to other countries, including Pakistan, where there is a government ban on Indian-made films.

The traditional dress of India has no doubt left its mark on the global market, where the demand for typical Indian attire is constantly growing. The traditional type of Indian women's clothing is the sari (sarees) - a long piece of cloth wrapped around the body. By the way, another interesting fact is that the style of Indian saris varies depending on the region. In addition to the sari, women also wear the salwar kameez dress with a dupatta head cape, this type of clothing is most often used in everyday and even formal situations. Another type of traditional dress worn on ceremonial occasions is the ghagra, long skirt with many folds, and a short choli blouse (choli).

Traditional men's clothing consists of a Hindu loincloth (dhoti) and a pajama jacket (kurta), and in South India even a wide lungi skirt (lungi). On ceremonial occasions, men can wear a sherwani (sherwanis) - a light coat that is knee-length or lower with a fastener in the front. Nowadays, Indian streetwear is a curious mixture of Western and Indian style, in everyday situations, young people prefer to wear jeans and other types of stylish Western clothing.

Thus, the culture of India combines the fusion of traditional and contemporary values. This information about India is just a brief look at an incredible country, visiting which you can discover much more interesting and exciting!

According to http://www.destinations.ru/fact/51

From the Internet you can find absolutely any information related to India. But even he will not be able to tell in detail about this amazing country. In general, India is the only state in which national traditions have never been interrupted since its inception. If you remember, all known civilizations disappeared thousands of years ago, but the Indian civilization is still flourishing. It makes no sense to look for something interesting in it, you just have to come, and something unusual and amazing will be waiting for you on every corner. Many tourists note that when they come here, one gets the feeling underworld with completely strange rituals and traditions. What is worth only the ancient Indian language - Sanskrit and Kamasutra, which anyone has heard of.

In India, deserts and fertile plantations, magnificent residences of rulers and poor shacks, and so on, coexist on the same territory.

In the Indian city of Takshashil in 700 BC, the world's first university was established. At that time, 60 subjects were taught in this place. In the 4th century AD, another one was discovered educational institution which became the beginning of education in India.
India became famous for Ayurveda - the first medical school created by man. This institution was opened two millennia ago by Charak. Here, operations such as caesarean section, extraction of foreign objects, and cataract treatment were performed. At that time it was a major breakthrough in the field of medicine.
At the beginning of our era, the Indian astronomer Brashacharya calculated the time it took for our planet to orbit the sun.
A century later, another scientist calculated the so-called pi number. Moreover, he was ahead of the Arab mathematicians. It was in India that trigonometry and its derivatives appeared. Indian mathematicians also created the largest kalu, covering the period from the creation of the universe to its disappearance.

These facts and many others are hidden today. The thing is that if all the secrets are revealed, then civilized Europe will have to explain how they found enlightenment. After all, the whole process took place with the help of violent actions. Graves were plundered and valuable relics were taken out. It was at this time that India reached its peak: important discoveries were made and complex operations were carried out, and at that time the British slept in sheds. So if humanity digs deeper, then facts will be revealed that will not put Europe in the best light, but at the same time explain all the wars and conflicts with Asia.

Well, shall we continue?

Facts about India for kids

Several thousand years ago, the teaching of yoga appeared in India. Coming here, everyone, young and old, will want to see the great yogis sleeping on nails or walking on broken glass. And if you are very lucky, you will see cases of levitation.

Each of us, probably, read a fairy tale about Mowgli. So, in India, cases of raising a human child by animals are not rare, there are even places where this can be seen with your own eyes.

India through the eyes of a tourist

Everyone considers India a hospitable country, and this is true. Another amazing fact is that during the last ten thousand years, this country has not invaded other people's possessions.
Did you know that India is the birthplace of chess? Many years ago, this game was called "chaturanga" and translated as "four types of troops."
In terms of population, India ranks second after China, but in terms of area it is smaller than the United States and is in seventh position in the ranking.
According to estimates, the most big number post offices in the world, and the largest employer is considered to be the local Railway employing more than a million people annually.
Until the end of the 19th century, India was the main diamond miner.
Hinduism is recognized as the main religion, and Islam can be seen in second place.
Most travelers believe that the inhabitants of India are called Hindus, but this is completely wrong. Hindus are people who profess Hinduism, in other words, monks. But the citizens living in the country are called Indians.
Despite the large number of attractions, India is a big garbage dump. It even happens that next to some ancient temple, mountains of garbage rise. And nobody cares about that.

More interesting facts about the country

The name Hindustan appeared after the Persians invaded Indian territory. If you disassemble, then "Hindostan" is translated as "Shindu" and "Indu". These are the lands of India that have been drawn into the conflict.
The world's first granite structure was built in India. This is the Brahideeshwarar temple in Tanjur, built in just 5 years.
India built the world's largest bridge in 1982.
Ancient Indian physicians have been aware of anesthesia for centuries. Numerous documents confirm this fact.
More than 300 mosques have been built in the state.
India is a multinational country. More than 400 nationalities live on its territory.
In many restaurants in the cities you will not find a menu. All visitors order what they already know.