10 Interesting Facts About India
1. 5000 years old, Varanasi is One of The Oldest Inhabited Places in the World
Situated on the banks of river Ganges and represented in the Parliament by the country’s PM Narendra Modi, the holy city of Banaras or Varanasi is at least 3000 years old. According to Hindu Mythology, Lord Shiva found this city 5000 years ago.
2. A Meteor formed the Breathtaking Lonar Lake in Maharashtra
A 4-hour drive from Aurangabad and doubling as Maharashtra’s best-kept secret, this lake was created by a plummeting meteor about 52,000 years ago. Travel enthusiasts must not miss this astronomical marvel and the temples around it.
3. Mysterious Anti-Gravity Hills In Ladakh, Magnetic Hill
With the anti-gravitational effect, this is the only magnetic hill in India. Landmarked by a yellow notice board that spells out instructions and asks you place your car on neutral gear right on the spot marked by white paint, this one will leave you in awe as your car will begin to move uphill on its own.
4. Land of Many ‘Firsts’, India Invented Snakes & Ladders, Shampooing and Algebra
A plethora of objects and concepts originated in India starting from the game of snakes and ladders to chess a.k.a Chaturanga, buttons, shampooing, the number pi, diamond mining, zero, algebra, trigonometry along with the finding of the presence of water on the moon.
5. Mawsynram is the Wettest Place on Earth with 11,873 Millimetres of Rain Annually
Holding a Guinness record for highest average annual rainfall, this town in Meghalaya gets about 11,873 millimetres of rain owing to its proximity to the Bay of Bengal. The winter months of this region are spent in preparation for the six-month-long monsoon ahead.
6. The Himalayan Ranges Have 9 out of 10 World’s Highest Peaks
The mighty Himalayas boast of 9 out of 10 world’s highest peaks, the highest being Mt. Everest at 8,848 metres. While the entire Himalayas do not fall in India itself and a number of highest peaks are actually in Nepal, a large part of Himalayas are in India.
7. There are Over 300,000 Mosques in India
With 14.2% of the country’s population being from the Muslim community, India happens to have the most number of mosques in the world. Some of the famous ones being Jama Masjid (New Delhi), Mecca Masjid (Hyderabad), Taj-Ul-Masjid (Bhopal), etc.
8. World’s Highest Rail Bridge in Jammu
About 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower, the arch-shaped Chenab bridge in Jammu and Kashmir is the world’s tallest rail bridge. It stands at the height of 1,178 feet over the river Chenab.
9. Bandra-Worli Sea Link Has steel Wires Equal to Earth’s Circumference
Each of the cables is capable of holding 900 tons of weight. The entire establishment’s weight is equivalent to that of 50,000 African elephants. This is a Fact About India that many probably don’t know.
10. Most Visited Place in the World, the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Awarded by the World Book of Records, the Golden Temple of Amritsar is the most visited place in the world with over one lakh devotees flocking at the shrine every single day.
