5 Interesting Facts about India

1. The gathering at the Kumbh Mela is so large that it is visible from the space

Kumbh Mela is inscribed on the UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity is a mass Hindu Pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred or holy river. The Kumbh Mela is held once in 12 years. The exact age of the festival is uncertain. According to medieval Hindu mythology, Lord Vishnu dropped drops of Amrita (the drink of immortality) at four places, while transporting it in a Kumbha (pot). The name "Kumbh Mela" literally means "Kumbha fair ". The festival is one of the largest peaceful gatherings in the world, and considered as the "world's largest congregation of religious pilgrims"

2. India has the largest English-speaking population in the world after the USA

They say India is the second largest English-speaking nation in the world just behind the US. And according to some estimates, the day is not far off when it’s going to be the number one nation. Around 11.38% of people in India know the language.

3. We played a major role in the invention and development of Plastic Surgery

Sushruta, an ancient Indian surgeon, made important contributions to the field of plastic and cataract surgery in 6th century BC. The medical works of both, Sushruta and  Charak originally in Sanskrit later spread. British physicians travelled to India to see rhinoplasties being performed by native methods.

4. Calculus and Trigonometry came from India

As far back as 1200 BC, mathematical knowledge was being written down as part of a large body of knowledge known as the Vedas. The so-called Golden Age of Indian mathematics can be said to extend from the 5th to 12th Centuries. Certainly, it seems that Indian contributions to mathematics have not been given due acknowledgement until very recently in modern history.

5. Buttons were invented in India

Ian McNeil (1990) holds that: "The button, in fact, was originally used more as an ornament than as a fastening, the earliest known being found at Mohenjo-daro in the Indus Valley. It is made of a curved shell and about 5000 years old."