Top 10 Interesting Facts about India and Indian Culture
Indian culture is a unique mixture of eastern values and western freedom. It is quite confusing if you are new to the land. For instance, Indians consider their body as their temple but the left hand is believed to be unclean. Cows are sacred, snakes are God’s form and on the other hand, the land is the birthplace of the strategic game of all time, Chess. Are you still confused about Indian culture?
You ought to look at the cultural diversity of the land with Travelogy India’s themed tour packages. You can also explore our Travel Guide for more experiences.
Prior to that, let’s dig into the top ten cultural facts of India to help you understand them better.
1. Left is Unclean
Do not use your left hand for initiating anything. If you are left-handed, prefer spoon for eating. Do not get or give anything by your left hand. Left hand is meant for cleaning the body and is considered unclean.
2. Guest Culture
You are honored if you could find an Indian family and get invited for a meal. This is the best way to taste the traditional cuisine of the land. If you are invited, remember to take a small gift with you to offer them. Guests are supposed to bring something for the host. Leave your footwear outside. Do you want to enjoy the company of a local family?
Suggested tour package – Cook and Eat – with a local family (Delhi)
3. Religion
All major religions are present in India. The Indians tend to be quite a little sensitive in this genre. Thus, it is better to keep your opinions to yourself. If you see a temple for rats, just go with it. If you find people feeding snakes with milk, just watch and enjoy the scene. Every religion is celebrated and enjoyed in a respectful way and it is the basis of the diverse culture in India.
Top Suggested Tour Packages are:
- 6 Nights / 7 Days – South India Temple Tour
- 9 Nights / 10 Days – Trip To Delhi Agra Jaipur Ajmer Tour
- 14 Nights / 15 Days – Buddhist Tours India ( Varanasi – Bodhgaya-Kushinagar – Lumbini )
Read on:
- Top 10 Most Famous Temples in India
- Top 10 Religious and Pilgrimage Destinations in India
- Famous and Magnificent Temples In South India to Travel with your Family
4. Your English is fine
English is one of the official languages of the country. Although only a small part of the country’s population speaks English, it is quite easier to get around the country by knowing nothing but English. This is because the land is multilingual. Every state has a unique language, which the neighboring state is not aware. Thus, English is the axis for this diversity. Your accent and style of speaking would not sound funny to anyone.
5. Cuisine
Do you know that Indian cuisine has more than 140 types of desserts? Every state has its own cuisine. In some cases, each region of the state has its style of menu. Thus, if you are looking for a food-based vacation, India is more than welcoming with banana leaf plate and rich-ghee flavored cooking. Are you planning to take some of these flavors back to home? Do not worry; India has the largest spice market of the world.
Read More: Top 10 Iconic Food That You Must Try In Bangalore
Suggested Itineraries:
6. Cricket is a Religion
Of all the sports in the world, cricket is the main attraction in India. There are numerous stadiums around the country. Visit any of the stadiums to get the cricket fever. Do you know that the world’s highest cricket ground is in India? At the height of 2444 m, Chail Cricket Ground is the highest ground built in 19th century in Himachal Pradesh.
7. Elephant Ride
Have you heard the stereotype of Indians riding on elephants? We have a news for you. It is half-true. Elephant is a symbol of pride and royalty. You can find spa for elephants, where you can bath, feed, play and enjoy with elephants. Do you know that these elephants even get soothing massages? (Source:).
Suggested Tour Packages:
- 11 Nights / 12 Days – Taj Mahal and Tiger Tour
- 15 Night / 16 Days – South India Wildlife Tour
- 7 Nights / 8 Days -Agra Jaipur Jim Corbett Tiger Tour
8. Symbol of Dance
Each state has a dance as an icon. These traditional dance and music styles are the backbones of the land. If you are visiting historic and cultural regions like Jaipur, Delhi, Mahabalipuram and others, you can find cultural performances.
Read Also: Famous Colourful Fairs and Festivals of Rajasthan
9. Indian Railways
With the large population moving around the city for business, career, education and others, road is not enough. A huge chunk of the population uses railways every day. Around 12,617 trains run carrying more than 23 million people every day (Source:). If you want to enjoy the raw culture of the land, take a local train ride in any of the metro cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and others. If you are up for a luxury vacation, try to ride the luxury Trains India.
Suggested Tour Packages:
For more tour itineraries of luxury train, visit luxury trains.
Must Read:
- Top 5 Luxury Trains in India
- Palace on Wheels Luxury Train: Quick Travel Information
- Some Interesting Facts about the Maharajas&; Express
10. Fashion
If you are looking for the apt souvenir, the fashion is the right genre. Where else to buy fashion other than the land that invented buttons. Are you looking for iconic souvenirs?
Benaras silk of Varanasi, Kalamkari, Kanchipuram silk saree, traditional sandal dress of Kerala and so on are waiting for you in India.
Explore:
Top Suggested Tour Packages are:
- 10 Nights / 11 Days – South India Trip From Chennai
- 7 Nights / 8 Days – South India Tour ( Kerala Highlights )
- 14 Nights / 15 Days – North East Wildlife Tour Package
Unusual Facts about India
You might have learnt a lot about India, its tourism attractions, the heritage, culture, festival and others. Do you want to learn a little more about India that would drop your jaw?
- About hundred million years ago, India was an island.
- Kumbh Mela is a religious festival in India. In 2012, 60 million people gathered in the same place to attend this festival making it the largest gathering in the world and this mass of gathering was photographed from the satellite.
- It is illegal for any foreigner to take Indian currency out of India.
- There are more than a million millionaires in India and more than 35% of Indians live below the poverty line.
- Himalayas in India has the tallest peak in the world. It grows an inch taller by every year. You can find a lot of monasteries in these mountains.
- Breathing the air of Mumbai at the peak time is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes. Yet, the most polluted city in India is not Mumbai. It is New Delhi.
- 70% of the spices in the world come from India.
- The Golden Temple in India feeds about hundred thousand people in India with no regards to their religion or race.
- A land that was in dispute between India and Bangladesh disappeared due to global warming, solving the case.
- The oldest inhabited place that is still in use is Varanasi, India.
- An impression of the meteor that hit the earth millions of years ago is in Maharastra. It is called as Lonar Lake.
- There is a hill in Ladakh in India that has magnetic properties which is strong enough to pull a car upwards.
- Chess, buttons, shampoo, cataract surgery, plastic surgery, pi (mathematical value), zero, algebra, trigonometry and diamond mining were invented in India.
- A river in India is considered to be cursed and no one touches the water. Since water is required for cooking, people who live around the river just eat fruits and raw vegetables.
- The world’s only granite temple is in Tamil Nadu. Brihadeswara Temple was built in 11th
- India has the largest family in the world. A man lives with his 39 wives and ninety four children in the same house.
- World’s only floating post office can be found in Dal Lake, Srinagar.
- The wettest place on earth is in India. Khasi Hills and Cherrapunji in Meghalaya have the highest recorded rainfall in the world.
- The first rocket in India was taken to Thumba on a bicycle. The satellite was brought in a bullock cart.
- India is the one place to have a spa for elephants in Punnathoor, Kerala.
- A poll booth is erected during every election in Gir Forest for a single voter, Mahant Bharatdas Darshandas.
- Other than India, no other country in the world has tigers and lions together. There are only 4000 tigers left in India.
- Visit a Chinese styled Indian temple for the goddesses Kali only in Kolkata.
Suggested Tour Packages: 6 Days Golden Triangle Tour
There are a lot more unusual things happening in India. Come and visit India to witness them for real.
Also Explore some of the Top Things to do in India
Some of the famous articles of India:-
- Top 10 Cities of India that is famous for its Food
- Top 10 Family Travel Destinations In India
- Tips for choosing a memorable family itinerary for Vacation in India
- 10 Best Places To Visit In India for 2018 Tours
- Amazing Tourist Spot in India to Tour with your Best Buddy!
- Why should India be your next Travel Destination?
- 10 Must-See Destination on Your Trip to India
- 15 Reasons Why You Should Visit India
- Sound & Light Show at Red Fort (Lal Quila) in Delhi
Suggested tour: 14 days family holiday in Kerala
Best offer on 17 Days India & Nepal tour
There is no enough number of facts to explain the Indian culture. If you want to experience the culture, it is time to fly to the land of mystery.