1. Saint Gyandev invented the ‘Snakes and Ladders’  board game in the 13th century. He called it ‘Mokshapat’, in which the ladders symbolized virtues and the snakes represented vices.

2. Varanasi is one of the world’s oldest living cities- it has been continuously inhabited for over 3,000 years!

3. India has experienced multiple conquests and invasions throughout its history, but it has never invaded any country!

4. India was the only source of diamonds until the 18th century – The famous Golconda mines produced rare and priceless diamonds.

5. The Mughals ruled India for the longest time for nearly about 200 years.

6. The world’s first university was in India – Nalanda University, established in the 5th century CE, attracted scholars from all over the world.

7. Four major religions originated in India – Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddism, 25%of the world’s population follows one of the religions today!
8. The number zero (0) was invented in India by the famous mathematician Aryabhata around the 5th century. Imagine a world without zero—no computers, no modern math!
9. The first woman leader of India, Razia Sultan (1205-1240), ruled only for three years.

10. The system that existed in ancient India, Known as the Chaturdasha  Vidya, had 14 disciplines, divided into three broad categories – The Vedas, the Vedangas, and the Upangas.

11. India is a linguistic paradise, with over 19,500 dialects spoken across the country. However, Hindi and English are the official languages.
12. The cotton was first spun and woven in India.About 40% of Indians are vegetarians, making India the country with the largest number of vegetarians in the world. No wonder Indian vegetarian cuisine is so diverse and delicious!
13. India has a floating post office in Dal Lake, Srinagar. It serves as a post office and a museum.

14. Arabic numerals were not invented in Arabia. They were invented in India.

15. The first successful eye transplant was performed in India. It was done by a British army surgeon who restored his pet antelope’s vision by taking the cornea of a recently killed antelope.

16. India produces more milk than any other country, thanks to its White Revolution led by Dr. Verghese Kurien.

17. Jana Gana Mana, India’s national anthem, takes 52 seconds to sing—one of the longest official national anthems in the world!

18. The Statue of Unity is tallest in the world standing at 182 meters, Gujarat’s Statue of Unity is twice as tall as the Statue of Liberty and is dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

19. Calculus, trigonometry, and algebra originated in India.

20. India has a temple dedicated to Rats in Rajasthan called Karni Mata Temple, where thousands of rats are worshipped and fed by devotees!

21. Sanskrit is said to be the mother of all languages. It is the only language that has precise syntax and grammar and hence, suitable for developing computer software.

22. The Rameshwaram temple in Tamil Nadu has one of the longest corridors in the world (4000 feet in length), with 985 richly carved pillars on both sides.

23. India was the first country to reach Mars in its first attempt with the Mangalyaan mission in 2014.

24. India is the only country that has both lions and tigers in the wild.

India is a land of endless surprises, from floating post offices to mystical hills and grand festivals! Every corner of the country has something unique to offer. Which fact did you find the most surprising? Let us know in the comments below! 😊