Interesting facts about India

*.India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history.
*.When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization)
*.The name 'India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred tothe river Indus as the Sindhu.
*.The Persian invaders converted it into Hindu. The name 'Hindustan' combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindus.
*.Chess was invented in India.
*.Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies, which originated in India.
*.The 'Place Value System' and the 'Decimal System' were developed in India in 100B.C.
*.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.
*.India is the largest democracy in the world,the 7 th largest Country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations.
*.The game of Snakes& Ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game represented virtues andthe snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time,the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.
*.The world's highest cricket ground is in Chail,Himachal Pradesh. Built in 1893 after leveling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level.
*.Until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds in the world
(Source: Gemological Institute of America) .
*.The Baily Bridge is thehighest bridge in the world. It is located in the Ladakh valley between the Dras and Suru rivers in the Himalayan mountains. Itwas built by the Indian Army in August 1982.
*.Sushruta is regarded as the Father of Surgery. Over2600 yearsago Sushrata & his team conducted complicated surgeries like cataract, artificial limbs, cesareans, fractures, urinary stones, plastic surgery and brain surgeries.
*.Usage of anaesthesiawas well known in ancient Indian medicine. Detailed knowledge of anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism,physiology, etiology, genetics and immunity is also found in many ancient Indian texts.
*.India exports software to 90 countries.
*.The four religions born in India - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, are followed by25% of the world's population.
*.Jainism and Buddhismwere founded in India in600 B.C. and 500 B.C. respectively.
*.Islam is India's and the world's second largest religion.
*.There are 300,000 active mosques in India,more than in any other country, including the Muslim world.
*.The oldest European church and synagogue inIndia are in the city of Cochin. They were built in 1503 and 1568 respectively.
*.Jews and Christians have lived continuously in India since 200 B.C. and 52 A.D. respectively
*.The largest religious building in the world is Angkor Wat, a Hindu Temple in Cambodia built at the end of the 11th century.
*.The Vishnu Temple inthe city of Tirupathi built in the 10th century, is the world's largest religious pilgrimage destination. Larger than either Romeor Mecca, an average of 30,000 visitors donate$6 million (US) to the temple everyday.
*.Sikhism originated in the Holy city of Amritsar in Punjab. Famous for housing the Golden Temple, the city was founded in 1577.
*.Varanasi, also known as Benaras, was called"the Ancient City" whenLord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C., and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.
*.India provides safety for more than 300,000 refugees originally from Sri Lanka, Tibet, Bhutan,Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who escaped to flee religiousand political persecution.
*.His Holiness, the DalaiLama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists, runshis government in exile from Dharmashala in northern India.
*.Martial Arts were first created in India, and later spread to Asiaby Buddhist missionaries.
*.Yoga has its origins in India and has existed for over 5,000 years.