Fun facts about India

1. India is officially known as the Republic of India.
2. The highest mountain in India is Kanchenjunga, standing at 8,598m (28,209 ft)
3. Many different languages are spoken in India. The main ones are Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, and Urdu.
4. The capital city is New Delhi, while the most populated city is Mumbai.
5. Because of India's location, it experiences periods of heavy rain called Monsoon.
6. The Taj Mahal (a famous mausoleum and popular tourist attraction) is located in the region of Agra.
7. India became an independent nation in 1947 after ending British rule that began in 1858.
8. Mahatma Gandhi is famous for the important part he played in gaining India's independence.
9. India was split into the Republic of India and Pakistan. Later, an area between India and Pakistan became Bangladesh.
10. The national symbol of India is the endangered Bengal Tiger.
11. The most popular sport in India is cricket,
12. India is the largest democracy in the world.
13. It is illegal for foreigners and non-citizens to take Indian currency (rupees) out of India.
14. Cows can be found freely wandering the streets of India's cities. They are considered sacred
15. Dancing is one of India's most highly developed arts and was an integral part of worship in the inner shrines of every temple.
16. India is the birthplace of chess
17. The Indian flag has three horizontal bands of color: saffron for courage and sacrifice, white for truth and peace, and green for faith, fertility, and chivalry.
18. The earliest cotton in the world was spun and woven in India.
19. India is the world's largest producer of dried beans, such as kidney beans and chickpeas.
20. In India, the fold and color of clothing are viewed as important markers of social classification.
21. With 150,000 post offices, India has the largest postal network in the world.
22. In India, grasping ones ears signifies repentance or sincerity
23. The Bengal tiger is India's national animal.
24. Every major world religion is represented in India. Additionally, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism all originated in India
25. About 80% of Indians are Hindu.
26. India has the world's largest movie industry, based in the city of Mumbai. The B in Bollywood comes from Bombay, the former name for Mumbai.
27. Marigold flowers are used as decoration for Hindu marriages and are a symbol of good fortune and happiness.
28. Indians made significant contributions to calculus, trigonometry, and algebra
29. The decimal system was invented in India in 100 B.C.
30. The concept of zero as a number is also attributed to India.
31. The national fruit of India is the mango.
32. Most Indians rinse their hands, legs, and face before eating a meal.
33. It is traditional to wear white, not black, to a funeral in India.
34. In parts of India women eat after everyone is finished and wasting food is considered a sin.
35. It is considered polite to eat with the right hand
36. All of India is under a single time zone.
37. India experiences six seasons: summer, autumn, winter, spring, summer monsoon, and winter monsoon.
38. India is the world's largest tea producer, and tea (chai) is its most popular beverage
39. Greek sculpture strongly influenced many portrayals of Indian gods and goddesses,
40. In India they have a floating post office in Dal Lake, Srinagar, It was inaugurated in August 2011
41. At an altitude of 2,444 meters, the Chail Cricket Ground in Chail, Himachal Pradesh, is the highest in the world.
42. Shampoo was invented in India, not the commercial liquid ones but the method by use of herbs.
43. When Dr Rajendra Prasad was appointed the President of India, he only took 50% of his salary, claiming he did not require more than that.
44. India has the largest number of vegetarians in the world.
45. India is the largest producer of milk in the world.
46. India was the first country to develop extraction and purifying techniques of sugar.
47. Diamonds were first mined in India
48. The board game - snakes and ladders originated in India