Amazing Facts about India (DOC)

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					              Amazing Facts about India

   India is the world’s largest, oldest, continuous civilization.
   India is the world’s largest democracy.
   India invented the number system. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta.
    Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley
   There are 300,000 active mosques in India , more than in any other country,
    including the Muslim world
   Sanskrit is the mother of all the European Languages . Sanskrit is the most
    suitable language for computer software – a report in Forbes magzine July 1987.
   Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India.
   India is one of the few countries in the world, which gain independence without
   India has the second largest pool of Scientist and Engineers in the World.
   India is the largest English speaking nation in the world.
   India is the only country other than US and Japan, to have built a super
    computer indeigenously.
   India has the largest number of Post Offices in the world
   The largest employer in the world is the Indian Railways , employing over a
    million people
   India was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early
    the Indian Army in August 1982
    largest religious pilgrimagedestination. Larger than either Rome or Mecca, an
   Varanasi, also known as Benaras, was called "the Ancient City" when Lord
    world today.
   Martial Arts were first created in India, and later spread to Asia by Buddhist
   Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.

Jai Hind: - I Specially Need Comments on Following questions and later I will add top
answers on this website with your name and specifications of your answer, So be reliable
to your answer and let the world know about India:

Why are you proud to be an Indian?
What Makes you love India like crazy?
Do you think that Saying Mera Bharat Mahan is enough?
Answer at Comments below_

Let the world know about real India:

According the facts book of India and online Research, we have found some facts which
you may really want to know:

More than 3.22 Million Indians are working in America.

38% of Doctors in America are Indians
12% of Scientists in America are Indians.
36% of NASA employees are Indians.
34% of MICROSOFT employees are Indians.
28% of IBM employees are Indians.
17% of INTEL employees are Indians.
13% of XEROX employees are Indians.
All of above facts were published in a German Magazine, which world history facts.

India has invented the Number system.
Aryabhatta Invented Zero.
The world’s first university was established Takshila in 700BC. There were more than
10,500 students from all over the world who studied more than 60 subjects.
The University of Nalanda was built in the 4th century BC. It was one of the greatest
achievements of India in education.
Sanskrit is the mother of all European languages. It is also most suitable language for
computer software reported in Forbes magazine, July 1987.

Ayurveda is developed by Indians and known as earliest school of medicine. Charaka,
the father of medicine consolidated Ayurveda 25000 years ago.
India was the richest country on earth until the time of British invasion in early 17th
The art of Navigation was born in the River Sindh 6000 years ago.
The world navy is taken from Sanskrit ‘Nou’.

Bhaskaracharya an Indian calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun
hundreds of years before the astronomer smart. Time taken by earth to orbit the sun:
5th century (365.258756484 Days).
Budhayana first calculated the value of pi, and also explained the concept of
Pythagorean Theorem in 6th century. It’s all been founded by Budhayana before the
European mathematicians algebra, trigonometry and calculus came from India.
The largest used number is Tera 1012 (10 to the power of 12). Sridhanaracharya found
these equations in the 11th century.

According to the Gemological Institute of Ameraica, up until 1896, India was the only
source for diamonds to the world.
  According to Saka King ruradaman I of 150 CE a beautiful lake called ‘Sudarshana’ was
  constructed on the hills of Raivataka during the Chanddragupta Maurya’s time.

  Chess (Also known as Shatranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India.

  The place value system and the decimal system were developed in India in 100 BC. India
  also established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization).

  And so on...the list is endless...

  We Just need to see at the glimpse of Great India that it really have, if it is not, then it
  means that we are not working up to the potentials and need something more to make
  India shine once again. Lets make India ever shining and inspiring country.


   1.27 million square miles.

2. India is the largest democracy in the world.
3. The Kumbh Mela (or Grand Pitcher Festival) is a huge Hindu religious festival that takes place
     biggest gathering. The mass of people was photographed from space by a satellite.

     never used for eating.

5. To avoid polluting the elements (fire, earth, water, air), followers of Zoroastrianism in India

6. It is illegal to take Indian currency (rupees) out of India.


     It is illegal for foreigners to import or export Indian
     currency (rupees)

     murders per year.

9. India has one of the world’s highest rates of abortion .

11. Cows can be found freely wandering the streets of India’s cities. They are considered sacred
   humankind’s seven mothers because she offers milk as does one’s natural mother.

12. Dancing is one of India’s most highly developed arts and was an integral part of worship in the

   contaminated drinking water.

14. Many Indian wives will never say her husband’s name aloud, as it is a sign of disrespect. When

15. A widow is considered bad luck—otherwise, her husband wouldn’t have died. Elderly women
   widows are not allowed near newlyweds or welcomed at social gatherings.

16. India is the birthplace of chess. The original word for “chess” is the Sanskritchaturanga,
   and foot soldiers.

17. The Indian flag has three horizontal bands of color: saffron for courage and sacrifice, white for
   chakra, or wheel of life, replaced the spinning wheel.

      Khajuraho’s exotic art may suggest that sex was a step for
      attaining ultimate liberation or moksha

      intercourse, which sometimes involves animals.

      fabrics “morning dew” and “cloth of running water.

      herself on her husband’s funeral pyre, were common.

      these mountains.

23. India is the world’s largest producer of dried beans, such as kidney beans and chickpeas. It also
      leads the world in banana exports; Brazil is second.
   Additionally, women will be viewed as either a prostitute or a holy person depending on the
   manner in which she parts her hair.

   unusual for a letter to take two weeks to travel just 30 miles.

26. In India, grasping one’s ears signifies repentance or sincerity.

27. The Bengal tiger is India’s national animal. It was once ubiquitous throughout the country, but
   now there are fewer than 4,000 wild tigers left.

   Gupta) are all Indian.


      and Sikhism all originated in India.

32. About 80% of Indians are Hindu. Muslims are the largest minority in India and form
      Muslims in the world, after Indonesia and Pakistan.

      Almost all Bollywood movies are musicals.l

      engineers built a causeway uniting all seven original islands of Bombay into a single landmass.


      The Lotus temple is one of the most visited
      temples in the world, with over 50 million visitors
      per year

   in marble.

38. The banyan, or Indian fig tree, is considered a symbol of immortality and is mentioned in many

   and happiness.

   Sanskrit name of India is Bharat, after the legendary king in the epicMahabharata.


42. Indians made significant contributions to calculus, trigonometry, and algebra. The decimal

   bred for food.

   Indian Sanskrit texts.
      these languages, about 1,652 dialects are spoken in the country.


      Though the Ganges is one of the dirtiest
      rivers in the world, bathing in the river is
      thought to wash away one’s sins

47. India’s pastoral communities are largely dependent on dairy and have made India the largest
      milk-producing country in the world.


49. Rivers have played a vital role in India’s popular culture and folklore—they have been
      one’s ashes in the Ganges.
50. Raziya Sultana (1205-1240) was the first woman leader of India. She was considered a great

      with the right hand, and women eat after everyone is finished. Wasting food is considered a sin.


      contrast to the colorful clothes of married or single women.

54. All of India is under a single time zone.

      thousand to a million people.


      According to legend, to prevent the builders from ever
      replicating the beauty of the Taj Mahal, their hands were
      cut off
   Roy’s The God of Small Things (1997).



   embroidery” for its intricate workmanship. It took 22,000 workmen 22 years to complete it.

   was larger than any other empire, including Egypt and Mesopotamia.

62. After the great Indus Civilization collapsed in 2000 B.C., groups of Indo-Europeans called
   Aryans (“noble ones”) traveled to northwest India and reigned during what is called the Vedic
   on ethnicity and occupation.

63. Alexander the Great invaded India partly because he wanted to solve the mystery of the
   to his goal.
64. Greek sculpture strongly influenced many portrayals of Indian gods and goddess, particularly
   after the conquest of Alexander the Great around 330B.C. In fact, early Indian gods had Greek
   features and only later did distinct Indian styles emerge.

65. Chandragupta Maurya (340-290 B.C.), a leader in India who established the Mauryan Empire

66. When the first independent prime minister of India, pacifist Jawaharlal Nehru (1889-1964), was

                        Republic Day in India

  Many people throughout India celebrate the nation's Republic Day, which is a gazetted
  holiday on January 26 each year. It is a day to remember when India's constitution
  becoming an independent republic.
Pictured above are Indian Army soldiers on parade during preparations for the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi, India. ©

What do people do?

take part in the parades.

sacrificed their lives for their country. India's president takes the military salute during
A foreign head of state is the president's chief guest on Republic Day.
to civilians. Helicopters from the armed forces then fly past the parade area showering
rose petals on the audience. School children also participate in the parade by dancing
and singing patriotic songs. Armed Forces personnel also showcase motorcycle rides.
The parade concludes with a "fly past" by the Indian Air Force, which involves fighter
planes of flying past the dais, symbolically saluting the president. These leave trails of
smoke in the colors of the Indian flag.

There are many national and local cultural programs focusing on the history and culture
of India. Children have a special place in these programs. Many children receive gifts of
sweets or small toys. A prime minister's rally also takes place around this time of the
year, as well as the Lok Tarang – National Folk Dance Festival, which occurs annually
from January 24-29.

Public life

Republic Day is a gazetted holiday in India on January 26 each year. National, state
and local government offices, post offices and banks are closed on this date. Stores and

Public transport is usually unaffected as many locals travel for celebrations. Republic
Day parades cause significant disruption to traffic and there may be increased security
on this date, particularly in areas such as New Delhi and state capitals.


India became independent of the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947. India did not
have a permanent constitution at this time. The drafting committee presented the
constitution's first draft to the national assembly on November 4, 1947. The national
assembly signed the final English and Hindi language versions of the constitution on
January 24, 1950.

India's constitution came into effect on Republic Day, January 26, 1950. This date
was chosen as it was the anniversary of Purna Swaraj Day, which was held onJanuary
26, 1930.The constitution gave India's citizens the power to govern themselves by
choosing their own government. Dr Rajendra Prasad took oath as India's first president
route to the Irwin Stadium, where he unfurled India's national flag. Ever since the


Republic Day represents the true spirit of the independent India. Military parades,
displays of military equipment and the national flag are important symbols on this date.
and it has 24 spokes.

Republic Day Observances

so people have a day off work.
                     INDIAN DANCES

Indian Dances illuminate & express India's culture in a direct manner, playing on the
sensibilities of the onlooker.

a group of people


Sanskrit: “Lord of Dance”, the Hindu god Siva
(Shiva) in his form as the cosmic dancer,
represented in metal or stone in most Saiva
temples of South India.

One of the most enduring symbols of India is the
figure of NATARAJA - Shiva (The King of
Dancers). Shiva's cosmic dance is believed to
encompass creation, preservation, and destruction
and this idea has been embedded in Hindu
thought and ritual since the dawn of civilization.

He holds a small drum (DAMARU) in his upper right hand. His lower right hand shows
the fear-negating gesture (ABHAYA), his upper left hand is in half-moon pose
(ARDHACHANDRAMUDRA) which holds a tongue of flame which is the fire (AGNI) that
finally destroys the world and is then quenched in cosmic waters. Thus the hand holding
second left arm is held gracefully across the chest (GAJAHASTAMUDRA) with the hand
pointing to the uplifted foot, denoting favor or grace for the devotee.
One foot rests on APASMARA or MAUYALKA, the embodiment of human cruelty and
ignorance. Surrounding Shiva's figure and emanating from him is an immense aureole
of flames (PRABHAMANDALA) representing the vital processes of nature, sustained by
the tremendous energy of the dancing God within.

The flames represent the transcendental power of wisdom and truth, as well as the
mantra 'OM' which signifies the totality of creation. Also known as the ANANDA
TANDAVA, this dance is a metaphor for the belief that life is essentially a dynamic
the dance of life.


Indian classical dance is the embodiment of a
whole range of expressions, which include fantasy
and yogic discipline. The different forms represent
the meeting point of three arts: music, drama and
dance. Though highly defined and codified, they
are perceived primarily as a form of worship, as
homage to the almighty. Their classicism lies in the
continuity of an unbroken history of over five
thousand millennia, one which overwhelms yet

Using the body as a medium of communication,
the expression of dance is perhaps the most
intricate and developed, yet easily understood art

Indian dance is a blend of

NRITTA - the rhythmic elements
NRITYA - the combination of rhythm with expression and
NATYA - the dramatic element
content to those which are danced on more trivial happy occasions.

Classical Indian Dances are usually always spiritual in content, although this is often
true also of Folk dances. The most popular classical styles seen on the Indian dance
stage are Bharatanatyam of Tamil Nadu, Kathakali and Mohiniyattam of Kerala, Odissi


are treasured up in India only!"
- By Mark Twain

The    above   quote    about   India   truly   describes   what    India   is   all   about.
India, the country where you find a unique blend of cultures, castes and races with
generous doses of tradition thrown in. what you get, is a pleasantly appalling,
fascinating, mystifying land that almost everyone falls in love with.

Just for your assistance, given below are certain quick facts of India that will help you
analyse India at a glance.

Full                                                                                   Name
Republic of India
Capital                                                                         City
New Delhi

Total                                                                          Area
3.3 million square kilometres (approximately), 1.2 Square Miles.

1,200,000,000 (2011 Census)

7,516 kilometers (inclusive of Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands)

North                                      to                                 South
3214 kilometers.

East                                      to                                   West
2,933 kilometers

8°4' and 37°6' North

68°7 ' and 97°25' East

Is very varied, from tropical monsoon climate in the south to temperate in the north.
India experiences three major seasons           - winters, summers and     Monsoon.
Summers                       (April                     -                 October)
Winters                     (November                        -                March)
Monsoons (July - September)
Himalayas in north, Deccan Plateau (upland plains) in the south, flat to rolling plains
along the Ganges river, deserts in west.

Form                                      of                              Government
Democracy (Federal form of Government)

Mrs.                                      Prathibha                               Patel

Prime                                                                          Minister
Mr. Manmohan Singh.

States                     and                        Union                 Territories
India       has       28         states         and       7     Union        Territories

Hindi is the official language. English is widely spoken and written. 17 major languages
recognized by the Constitution and 844 Dialects.

Hindu - 80%, Muslim - 14%, Christian - 2.4%, Sikh - 2%, Buddhist - 0.7% Jain - 0.5%,
Zoroastrian and others - 0.4%

Indian Rupee

Time                                                                              Zone
The Indian time zone, Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5.5 hours (5 hours and 30 minutes)
ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Business Hours
10 A.M. - 5 P.M. (Monday to Friday)

230-240V 50HzHz

Country                                    Dialing                                    Code

National                                                                           anthem
Jan Gana Mana, written by Rabindranath Tagore

National                                                                               flag
dark green at the bottom. In the center of the white band is a wheel in navy blue colour.

National                                                                            animal

National                                                                               bird

National                                                                             flower

National                                                                               tree

National                                                                               fruit

Passports                                     and                                    Visas
Valid passport and visa is required to enter in India. Visas cannot be issued on arrival. It
is also essential that the passport should be valid for at least six months from date of

India's fast-growing microfinance sector has attracted regulatory scrutiny following

allegations of aggressive collection practices and borrower suicides, with the finance


The new developments promise to bring about an era of change to a sector that has

seen surging growth. Here are some facts about the microfinance sector.

- The gross loan portfolio of India's microfinance sector accounts for more than 7

percent of the sector's worldwide loan portfolio size. As much as 30 percent of the

world's microfinance borrowers are in India.

- While the average size of a microfinance loan is $522.8 globally, according to MIX

Market data, the average loan size in India is only about a fourth of that at $144.

- India is the largest microfinance market in the world, with some 120 million

homes with no access to financial services, estimates CRISIL Research. MFIs are

mostly concentrated in India's southern states, serving about 70 million people.

- The microfinance market has grown at an average annual rate of nearly 80

percent over the last three years, Sa-Dhan said.

- There are more than 3,000 MFIs and NGO-MFIs, of which about 400 have active

lending programmes, according to CRISIL Research. The top 10 MFIs account for

nearly three-fourths of loans outstanding.

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