Facts about India: India observes Independence Day on August 15th every year as a national holiday to remember the day the country gained its independence from the United Kingdom and the provisions of the 1947 Indian Independence Act, which gave the Indian Constituent Assembly legislative authority, went into force. Prior to adopting the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950 (also known as Indian Republic Day), which replaced the dominion prefix Dominion of India with the sovereign law Constitution of India, India continued to be ruled by King George VI. Following the Freedom Movement, known for its primarily nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience, India won independence.
So, This 75th Independence day, we have brought for you, 75 interesting, amazing facts about India.
Interesting Facts About India:
- The wettest inhabited country on Earth is India. With 11,873 millilitres of rain falling annually, Meghalaya village has been named the wettest spot on Earth by the Guinness Book of World Records. Considering that the rain season lasts for six months.
- Over 2 million Hindu temples and over 300,000 mosques can be found in India. Mosques can range in size from modest structures in tiny towns to enormous, well-known structures like the Jama Masjid in New Delhi or the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad. There are more than 23,000 temples in Varanasi alone, a holy city.
- The highest motorable road in the world. The Ladakh road is the highest motorable road in the world at above 19,300 feet.
- The glacial Lake Roopkund, which is 16,470 feet above sea level in the Himalayas, is known for the human bones that have been discovered there and nearby. The skeletons are considered to be the remains of persons who died in a strong hailstorm in the ninth century.
- For around 1,000 years beginning in the fourth century BC, India was the world’s sole supplier of diamonds. The Krishna River Delta is where the initial diamonds were discovered.
Amazing Facts About India:
6. Hinduism is regarded as the world’s oldest religion, with records going as far back as 5,500 BCE. Hinduism has no recognised creator, and since it is a way of life, nobody is interested in finding out.
7. With more than 1 billion adherents, Hinduism is currently the third most widespread religion worldwide. Hinduism is not a monotheistic religion in terms of the gods. Hindus believe in Brahma, a single god who appears as countless other gods. The Trimurti is composed of three gods, Brahma being the primary one. Brahma is the universe’s creator, Vishnu is its preserver, and Shiva destroys the world to create a new one.
8. Which god a Hindu chooses to worship is entirely up to them. For Hindus, 108 is the most revered number. It is the ratio of the diameter of the Sun to the distance from Earth, as well as the ratio of the diameter of the Moon to the distance from Earth.
9. India is home to 22 official languages. Santali, Kashmiri, Bengali, Tamil, and Urdu are just a few of the many languages that are spoken in India. However, Hindi and English are the official languages.
10. Since most Indians speak their own regional language in addition to English for ease of communication, India also has the second-largest population of English speakers in the world (the first is the United States).
11. The “mother of all languages,” Sanskrit is regarded as the world’s oldest language. Sanskrit is supposed to be the language of the demi-Gods and is used in the writing of every Hindu book.
12. India is home to around 1.37 billion people, second only to China. and the figure keeps increasing. According to predictions, India will overtake China as the world’s most populous nation by the year 2050.
13. The Shani Shingnapur community is well known for having no doors or locks on any of the residences. Beyond that, criminal conduct has not been documented for about 400 years.
14. Indian cuisine is becoming more and more well-known around the globe. Many claims that the real flavour and spice of many Indian eateries outside of India have been lost.
15. Vegetarians are most prevalent in India. Between 15% and 30% of Indians are thought to be severe vegetarians, and many others only eat fish and no other land animals. Since vegetarianism has become so popular, even Western fast food restaurants like KFC offer a vegetarian menu to customers.
16. India had 26 national holidays in 2019, including Christmas, Deepavali, Holi, and Independence Day. Because the Indian population is made up of so many diverse cultural groupings, there are many different holidays and festivals, which contributes to the great variety of celebrations.
17. India is home to the largest sundial in the world. The tallest sundial in the world, standing at a towering 27 metres (90 feet) tall, is located in the town of Jaipur. A UNESCO World Heritage Site designation has been given to the sundial. Thousands of people flock to see the shadow, which moves at a speed of roughly six millimetres per minute, every year.
18. In order to shield the Taj Mahal from bomber bombs flying overhead during World War II, the entire palace was covered in bamboo scaffolding. The Taj Mahal was never hit during the war, therefore it appears that the ploy was successful.
19. Farmers in the greatest rice-producing state in the world, Chattisgarh, India, started spraying Coke and Pepsi products on their fields because they were less expensive than conventional pesticides and appeared to perform just as well. When this technique is examined more closely, it is believed that the delicious syrups draw ants to the field, which consume the eggs and larva of pest insects that frequently harm crops.
20. One of the last remaining “untouched” areas on Earth is North Sentinel Island. The Sentinelese people’s home, North Sentinel Island, is three miles away, but the Indian government forbids anyone from travelling there.
21. The Sentinelese were friendly to the anthropologist Madhumala Chattophadhyay in 1991, but in the years that followed, they made it very plain (and even violently) that they did not want to be disturbed.
Unknown Facts About India:
22. The Kumbh Mela, the biggest gathering on Earth, is a significant festival and pilgrimage site. While there is a celebration every year, there are festivals with higher significance every four and every twelve years. The festival attracts such a large audience that it can be seen in satellite images shot from space.
23. One of the lowest divorce rates in the world is in India. Statistics show that India has a divorce rate that is significantly lower than that of most other nations, at roughly 1 out of every 100 marriages.
24. The six seasons on the Hindu calendar are. India uses a six-season calendar, recognising spring, summer, monsoon, autumn, prewinter, and winter instead of the normal four-season cycle other nations observe.
25. The oldest continuously inhabited city in the world is Varanasi. India is one of those nations that asserts to have the world’s oldest metropolis still in existence.
26. One of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in the world is thought to be the holy city of Varanasi, sometimes referred to as Banaras or Kashi. In fact, it’s thought that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati formerly called this site home.
27. Varanasi is “ancient than history, older than tradition, older even than mythology,” in Mark Twain’s words, and “seems twice as old as all of them together.” The link between this city and eternity doesn’t end here because it’s thought that whoever takes their last breath here genuinely achieves salvation.
28. The genesis of yoga and ayurveda. Varanasi is well recognised for being the holiest city in India and for being the birthplace of the ancient healing systems of Ayurveda and Yoga.
29. The fact that India is divided into 28 states and 8 Union territories is not well known among outsiders. Due to goods like Assam tea, Kashmir silk, or the well-known tourist spots in Goa, certain of these states, including Assam, Kashmir, and Goa, are more widely known.
30. It’s no secret that Indians adore tea; every home serves it with meals and throughout the day. India, which ranks just behind China as the world’s second-largest tea producer.
31. India is the source of over 70% of the world’s spices.
32. The majority of spices, which are transported across continents to kitchens and restaurants all over the world, are produced in India. The most well-known spices include chilli powder, cumin, saffron, turmeric, and cumin.
33. The highest statue in the world right now is located in India. The Statue of Unity is currently the tallest statue in the world, at 600 feet (182 metres) tall.
34. The statue honouring independence leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel is situated in Gujarat, a state in western North America. Patel was born there.
35. Compared to the Statue of Liberty, the Statue of Unity is nearly twice as tall (305ft or 93m). It weighs roughly 67,000 tonnes and has more than 12,000 bronze panels.
36. One of India’s most beautiful architectural structures, the Amritsar Golden Temple is also a place of kindness and compassion. All religions are welcome at this Sikh temple. It frequently offers a straightforward vegetarian dinner to over 50,000 people each day.
37. When sugar was initially extracted, refined, and used in cooking, it was in India; but, as soon as people tasted the delectable substance, sugar manufacturing swiftly expanded over the world.
38. The Sanskrit word “champu,” which means “to massage,” is where the word “shampoo” originates.
39. The earliest kind of shampoo were made from ground herbs combined with water in India first. Commercial bottles weren’t made until after the concept gained popularity.
40. The iconic step wells in India are well-known. Abandoned step-wells in India, also referred to as vavs in Gujarat and baolis in other parts of northern India, are a significant aspect of the country’s history and architecture.
41. Step wells are said to have first appeared in the country’s deep water tables between the second and fourth centuries, notably in the hot, arid provinces of northern India.
42. The Rani ki Vav (the Queen’s Step Well), unquestionably India’s most breathtaking step well, is one of the most beautiful step wells. The idea that this UNESCO World Heritage site was only recently found is absurd.
43. The Bandra Worli Sealink’s steel cables are long enough to circle the globe. 90,000 tonnes of cement were used to construct the amazing Bandra Worli Sealink bridge, which was finished in 2010. Huge steel cables that can individually support 900 tonnes of weight were installed along the bridge to hold it all up.
44. One of India’s most well-known figures is Gandhi. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who is revered around the world for his peaceful philosophy of passive resistance, was also known by his numerous devotees as Mahatma. He was also frequently called “Bapu,” which is Hindi for “father.”
45. Mahatma Gandhi continued to promote harmony between Hindus and Muslims after Partition in 1947 up until his death in Delhi in January 1948, where he had been shot to death by a Hindu extremist. Since 1996, all Indian rupee denominations have featured Gandhi’s image.
46. In India, there is a floating post office. India not only has the greatest postal network in the entire world, but it also has some incredibly unusual post offices, such as one that floats on the water. The post office, which is situated near Dal Lake in Srinagar, has started to draw curious tourists.
Did you Know These Facts About India
Facts about India’s Independence Struggle
47. The partition of British India into the Dominions of India and Pakistan, which was accompanied by bloody riots, widespread deaths, and the eviction of almost 15 million people owing to religious violence, occurred concurrently with India’s declaration of independence.
48. Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, raised the country’s flag over the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi on August 15, 1947.
49. The current Prime Minister raises the flag and addresses the country on each successive Independence Day.
50. The national broadcaster of India, Doordarshan, broadcasts the entire event, which typically kicks off with some of Ustad Bismillah Khan’s shehnai music.
51. India celebrates Independence Day with flag-raising ceremonies, parades, and cultural events.
Facts about India’s Independence Struggle: History
52. By the 17th century, European traders had established outposts on the Indian subcontinent.
53. The East India Company fought and conquered local kingdoms with their superior military prowess, becoming the dominant force by the 18th century.
54. The Government of India Act of 1858 allowed the British Crown to take full control of India after the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
55. Civic society gradually began to grow in India in the ensuing decades, most notably the Indian National Congress Party, which was founded in 1885.
56. The years following World War I saw the passage of the unpopular Rowlatt Act and demands for Indian self-rule, as well as colonial reforms like the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms.
57. The unrest during this time period culminated in Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s nonviolent national movements of non-cooperation and civil disobedience.
58. The British gradually passed the reform into law in the 1930s, and Congress won the ensuing elections.
59. The next ten years saw a lot of political unrest due to the All-India Muslim League’s Muslim nationalism rising, Indian involvement in World War II, and the Congress’ final drive for non-cooperation.
60. The 1947 declaration of independence put an end to the rising political turmoil. The deadly division of the subcontinent into India and Pakistan dampened the celebration.
Facts about India’s Independence Struggle: Independence Day before Independence
61. The Purna Swaraj statement, or “Declaration of the Independence of India,” was promulgated during the 1929 meeting of the Indian National Congress, and 26 January was designated as Independence Day in 1930.
62. In order to achieve total independence for India, the Congress urged citizens to commit acts of civil disobedience and “to carry out the Congress directives issued from time to time.”
63. It was intended that this Independence Day celebration would incite Indian residents’ nationalistic fervour and compel the British administration to consider granting independence.
64. Between 1930 and 1946, the Congress celebrated January 26 as Independence Day.
65. Meetings where participants made the “pledge of freedom” celebrated the occasion. Such sessions, according to Jawaharlal Nehru’s memoirs, were quiet, serious, and “without any remarks or exhortations.”
66. Gandhi planned for the day to include meetings in addition to “performing some productive activity, whether it is spinning, serving “untouchables,” bringing Hindus and Muslims together, working on prohibition, or possibly all of the above.”
67. Following India’s declaration of independence in 1947, the Indian Constitution took effect on January 26, 1950, and has been recognised as Republic Day ever since.
Facts about India’s Independence Struggle: Immediate background
68. The British Labour administration realised in 1946 that it lacked the domestic support, the international backing, and the dependability of indigenous forces to continue to retain control in a restless India since its exchequer had been depleted by the recently ended World War II.
69. Clement Attlee, the British government’s prime minister, declared on February 20 that British India will have full autonomy by June 1948 at the latest.
70. Lord Mountbatten, the new viceroy, moved up the transfer of power date because he thought the ongoing conflict between the Congress and the Muslim League might bring down the interim administration.
71. He decided to transfer control on August 15, which is also known as the second anniversary of Japan’s World War II surrender.
72. On June 3, 1947, the British government said that it had agreed to divide British India into two states, with the successor governments receiving dominion status and an implicit right to leave the British Commonwealth.
73. With effect from 15 August 1947, British India was divided into the two new independent dominions of India and Pakistan (which also included what is now Bangladesh).
74. The Indian Independence Act 1947 of the United Kingdom Parliament granted the respective constituent assemblies of the new countries full legislative authority.
75. On July 18, 1947, the Indian Independence Act 1947 of the United Kingdom Parliament obtained royal assent.
So, these were the 75 interesting facts about Incredible India which every Indian should know.
