10 Facts About India

One of the largest countries in the world both by population and area of land covered, today we feature facts about India.

This nation has a rich and diverse history with many interesting and incredible facts just waiting to be discovered!

Contents

1. India overtook China as the world’s leading tea producer because a Scottish man stole tea from China

In around 1846-1850 Robert Fortune, a botanist who worked for the East India Trading Company, managed to infiltrate the Chinese tea production.

He escaped with enough seeds and knowledge so that India and the British trading company could produce the tea themselves.

Up until then the British had no access to tea since it, as silk was previously, exclusive for the Chinese.

Spectators estimate that the Chinese tea market only just recently have recovered from the blow.

2. Islam is the second largest religion in India

Preparing meat by using the ancient methods of Halal is sacred. It says in the Quran. So short is the explanation that Muslims prefer meat that has been slaughtered in a certain way. The ritual slaughter is called dhabihah, and it is described in more detail in the Quran. The Halal term means that what you eat is pure in relation to the Qur’anic regulations. When slaughtering animals, it means, among other things, that they must be killed by cutting their throats and asking for a religious prayer for the animal before that time. This is also why there a companies that have “Halal Certifications“, such as the one linked to.

3. India was already open to Jews more than 2500 years ago

There’s been a Jewish community in India since at least 500 B.C, possibly even longer.

According to this website, there’s 3 major groups separate of each other arriving to the country, meaning it wasn’t just a one-off thing.

4. This nation has 13 of the 20 most polluted cities on earth

Most of us have heard about the smog being an issue in the country, but did you know of the extent?

No less than thirteen cities of the top 20 most poluted ones are Indian, and the top 4 are all Indian as well.

5. A boy once fell asleep in the train in India. He only 25 years later found his way home, using Google maps.

Saroo Munshi Khan was on the train station with his brother, when he fell asleep in a cabin waiting for his brother.

The train departed and took Saroo on a journey that lasted more than 25 years. For a while he slept rough and begged for help, until he was put in an orphanage, and then adopted shortly thereafter.

He came to live in Australia, and eventually traced the train route spanning over 1500 km (930 miles) back to his origin using Google Maps.

6. Dolphins are considered non-human persons

While they still can’t vote or get a drivers license, the Indian government has recognized their intelligence.

What this means for the future of Dolphins is uncertain, but for now they have been banned from Aqua-parks and similar attractions, so that’s something.

7. India produced the largest volunteer army in the world with more than 2,5 million members during WW2

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the “British Indian Army” had roughly 200,000 listed as serving 1939.

That number swelled with more than 10 times the numbers towards the end, reaching an impressive 2,5 million members.

The Indian army went as far as Italy and Africa in the west, and Hong Kong and Malaya in the east.

8. 9 months after Valentines day, India celebrates Children’s day

Wikipedia lists 87 countries celebrating a Children’s day, but the date usually varies. Many countries use the 20th of November, while others have it the 1st of June.

As a humorous suggestion, the Indian nation have had their day put exactly 9 months after Valentines Day, as a subtle reminder.

9. More than 70% of spices produced in the world comes from India

7000 years ago, India was trading spices with it’s neighboring states and countries.

And for more than 2000 years, Europe have also been trading spices with India via Africa during the Roman times.

Today the proud nation produces more than 70% of the entire world’s production of spices, reaching virtually every country on the planet with the goods.