After Knowing These Interesting Historical Facts About India You’ll Be Filled With Pride

Indiaisone of the oldest civilizations in the world. India has always been a melting pot ofvarious ethnicity, religions, languages and cultures. India has a long history of cultural greatness and is seen as the epitome of rich culture.

However, it has also been moulding itself with the changing times. On comparing the situation when got free from the shackles of colonial rule,it has made multi-faceted social and economic progress since independence. India has become self-reliant in agriculture and now it is also counted among the most industrialized countries of the world.

In terms of geographical parameters, India is the seventh-largest country in the world, India stands out from the rest of Asia, characterized by mountains and seas, which give it a distinct geographical identity.  Surrounded by the great Himalayas in the north, it narrows beyond the Tropic of Cancer. It is bordered by the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Arabian Sea in the west and the Indian Ocean in the south. Let’s know some interesting historical facts about India which you might not know.

Also read: Here Is The List Of 10 Tallest Statues In India

• India is the world’s largest democracy and seventh-largest country in the world and one of the ancient civilizations.
• When most civilizations of the world were nomadic forest dwellers 5000 years ago, Indians had established a developed urban civilization (Indus Valley Civilization), this is known as Harappan culture.
• If we look at history, every powerful country invaded small countries but India has not attacked any country in its last 100000 years of history.
• Four religions were born in India – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism and which are followed by 25 per cent of the world’s population.
• Jainism and Buddhism were established in India in 600 BC and 500 BC respectively.
• Jew and Christian people have been living in India since 200 B.C. and 52 A.D. respectively.
• Chess, the game of intelligent people, was invented in India.
• The world’s first granite temple is the Brihadeshwara Temple in Tanjore, Tamil Nadu. This magnificent temple was built in a span of only 5 years during the reign of Rajaraja Chola.
• The world’s first university was established in Takshashila in 700 BC. In this, more than 10,500 students came from all over the world to study more than 60 subjects. Nalanda University was established in the fourth century which is one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
• The study of algebra, trigonometry and calculus originated in India itself. Besides, the ‘place value system’ and ‘decimal system’ were developed in India in 100 BC.
• Bhaskaracharya had calculated the exact time taken by the earth to revolve around the sun several hundred years before astronomy.  According to his calculations, the Earth takes 365.2587568484 days to revolve around the Sun.
• The value of ‘pi’ was discovered by the Indian mathematician Budhayana and the concept he explained is called Pythagoras’ theorem. He discovered it in the 6^th century, much before European mathematicians.
• The largest number used by the Greeks and Romans was 106, while the Hindus used numbers as large as 10*53 ( 53 to the power of 10), with the specific name during 5000 BC.
• Ayurveda is the earliest medical branch known to mankind. Charaka had consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago.

• Sushruta is considered the father of surgery. About 2600 years ago, Sushrutaperformed cataracts, implantation of prostheses, surgical deliveries, fractures, bladder stones, plastic surgery, and brain surgery.
• The use of anesthetics was well known in ancient Indian medical science. 
• Subjects such as anatomy, embryology, digestion, metabolism, physiology, etiology, genetics and immunology are also found in ancient Indian texts.
• The martial arts were first developed in India and were spread throughout Asia by Buddhist missionaries.
• The art of yoga originated in India and has been around for more than 5,000 years.
• India was the only source of diamonds in the world until 1896.
• India was the richest country until the beginning of the 17^th century before the British came to power.  Christopher Columbus, attracted by the wealth of India, went to find a sea route to India and he accidentally discovered America.
• India has the largest number of post offices in the world.