It’s understandable why so many travellers consider India to be on their bucket list! Mumbai and Varanasi offer a diverse landscape, vibrant festivals, and fiery cuisine that are incentive enough to pack your bags and travel there.
Whether you’ve never been to IND or you’re just captivated by it, these 10 fascinating facts about the nation may surprise you.
1. Cows are considered sacred
Before visiting India, you’ll need to make some dietary changes if hamburgers are a staple! The Constitution provides special protections for cows, so it is illegal to kill one.
Cows are free to wander wherever they like without worrying about being bothered by people, even on congested city streets.
2. The wettest inhabited region on Earth is India.
With approximately 11,873 millilitres of rain falling there each year, Meghalaya village has been crowned the wettest place on Earth by the Guinness World Records. Considering that the monsoon season lasts for six months, remember to bring an umbrella!
3. India has over 300,000 mosques and over 2 million Hindu temples
Prepare to be in awe of and amazed by the breathtaking architecture that exists in India. About 15% of India’s population is Muslim.
There are mosques across the country range from small village buildings to immense famous ones, like the Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad or the Jama Masjid in New Delhi.
The same can be said about India’s Hindu temples, which surpass two million to serve the 79.8% of India’s Hindu population.
There are more than 23,000 temples in Varanasi alone, the holy city. IND is undoubtedly the land of temples!
4. The world’s highest rail bridge is the Chenab Bridge.
Not all of India’s famous monuments are religious. Standing 1,178 feet above the Chenab River in Jammu, this breathtaking bridge is a sight to behold. You might want to pass on this one if you have a fear of heights!
5. Rajasthan has a Temple of Rats
India’s animal wonders never stop. There is a temple in Rajasthan devoted to rats, despite the fact that they may not be the first animals you would think of as being sacred.
1000s of rats call the temple home, making it one of the most unique attractions in Rajasthan and all of India.
When visiting the temple, remember to show respect for local customs as many pilgrims do so annually as part of their own religious pilgrimages.
6. Ranked the second-most populous country in the world
IND has a population of about 1.37 billion, second only to China. and the figure continues to rise. According to estimates, IND will overtake China as the world’s most populous nation by the year 2050.
7. India has one of the lowest rates of internet usage among its people.
IND has the second-highest percentage of internet users globally, second only to China, but its internet penetration rate is among the lowest, with only 48.7% of the population having access to it, far lower than the global average of 64.4% (as of 2022).
Since there have been numerous obstacles to the Internet’s growth and uptake in India, it is advised to use a VPN for a more secure online browsing experience.
8. You can travel on the highest motorable road in the world.
The Ladakh road is the highest motorable road in the world, rising above 19,300 feet. Before setting out on this specific adventure, make sure you put on a warm jacket!
9. Home of a mysterious skeleton lake
The glacial Lake Roopkund, situated at an elevation of approximately 16,470 feet in the Himalayas, has gained notoriety due to the discovery of human skeletons in the lake and its environs.
It is thought that the skeletons are the remains of people from the 9th century who perished during a severe hail storm.
10. IND is where the well-known game “Snakes and Ladders” first appeared.
This board game has its origins in IND and is currently available all over the world (occasionally renamed as “shoots and ladders”).
It was initially Designed to impart morality and karma lessons in a way that young children could comprehend and retain.
