"We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made."
Albert Einstein
The beautiful subcontinent of India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and Nepal. To the north it is bordered by the world's highest mountain chain, “The Himalayas”. It has plateaus, tropical rain forests, sandy deserts and is bordered by palm fringed beaches. Just like the staggering topographical variations it has its cultural diversity. One one hand India has the towering temples of south India and on the other in the desert of Kutch, Gujarat, a scattering of villages stand stoutly against the awesome forces of nature, resulting in Spartan lifestyles made vibrant by a colorful jewelry and embroidery of clothes. In the extreme north is the high altitude desert of Ladakh where local culture is shaped by the faith (Buddhism) and by the harsh terrain. On East corner live the tribes of the north eastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur with their colorful folk culture.
India's history goes back to several thousand years BC when Hinduism was first founded. Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism all were founded in India. Today India has true multi religional face as Hinduism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism and Buddhism all exist in harmony. Modern India is home alike to the tribals and to the sophisticated urban jetsetters. It is a land where elephants and cars both travel on road amicably.
National Flag
India’s National flag is a horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesari) at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. It is called “Tiranga Jhanda”. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is 2:3. In the centre of the white band is a navy blue wheel, which represents the Ashoka Chakra. Its diameter approximates to the width of the white band and it has 24 spokes.
National Anthem
The song “Jana-gana-mana”, composed originally in Bengali by Rabindranath Tagore, was adopted in its Hindi version as the national anthem of India. It was first sung on 27 December 1911 at the Calcutta Session of the Indian National Congress. The complete song has five stanzas but only the first stanza was adopted as National anthem.
Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka, jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Punjab-Sindh-Gujarat-Maratha
Dravida-Utkala-Banga
Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
Uchchala-Jaladhi-taranga.
Tava shubha name jage,
Tava shubha asisa mage,
Gahe tava jaya gatha,
Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Jaya he, jaya he, jaya he,
Jaya jaya jaya, jaya he!
The following is Tagore’s English rendering of the anthem:
Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,
dispenser of India’s destiny.
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind, Gujarat and Maratha,
Of the Dravida and Orissa and Bengal;
It echoes in the hills of the Vindyas and Himalayas, mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganges
and is chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.
They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.
The saving of all people waits in thy hand,
thou dispenser of India’s destiny.
Victory, victory, victory to thee.
National Emblem
The State emblem is an adaptation from the “Sarnath Lion” Capital of Ashoka. In the State emblem, only three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. The wheel appears in relief in the centre of the abacus with a bull on right and a horse on left and the outlines of other wheels on extreme right and left. The words Satyameva Jayate from Mundaka Upanishad, meaning ‘Truth Alone Triumphs’, are inscribed below the abacus in Devanagari script.
NATIONAL SONG
The song “Vande Mataram”, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji, was a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom. It has an equal status with “Jana-gana-mana”. The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress. Only the first 2 stanzas are adopted as national song. The following is the text of this song in original.
Vande Mataram!
Sujalam, suphalam, malayaja shitalam,
Shasyashyamalam, Mataram!
Shubhrajyothsna pulakitayaminim,
Phullakusumita drumadala shobhinim,
Suhasinim sumadhura bhashinim,
Sukhadam varadam, Mataram!
Vande Mataram!
Following is the English translation of the stanza rendered by Sri Aurobindo.
I bow to thee, Mother,
richly-watered, richly-fruited, cool with the winds of the south,
dark with the crops of the harvests, The Mother!
Her nights rejoicing in the glory of the moonlight,
her lands clothed beautifully with her trees in flowering bloom,
sweet of laughter, sweet of speech,
The Mother, giver of boons, giver of bliss.
National Animal
The magnificent tiger, Panthera Tigris (Linnaeus), is a striped animal. It has a thick yellow coat of fur with dark stripes. The combination of grace, strength, agility and enormous power has earned the tiger its pride of place as the national animal of India. Indian race, the Royal Bengal Tiger, is found throughout the country except in the north-western region and also in the neighboring countries, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
"If there is one place on the face of the earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is INDIA."
Romain Rolland, French Scholar
National Calendar
The national calendar is based on the Shaka Era with Chaitra as its first month. A normal year of 365 days was adopted from 22 March 1957 along with the Gregorian calendar. Dates of the national calendar have a permanent correspondence with dates of the Gregorian calendar: 1 Chaitra falling on 22 March normally and on 21 March in leap year.
National Bird
The Indian peacock is the national bird of India. It is a colorful, swan-sized bird, with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye and a long, slender neck. The male of the species is more colorful than the female, with a glistening blue breast and neck and a spectacular bronze-green train of around 200 elongated feathers. The elaborate courtship dance of the male, fanning out the tail and preening its feathers, is a gorgeous sight. The peacock is widely found in the Indian sub-continent. The Peacock enjoys protection from the people as it is never molested for religious and sentimental reasons.
National Flower
Lotus is the National Flower of India. It is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India and has been an auspicious symbol of Indian culture since time immemorial.
National Languages
Hindi is the official and main link language of India. Its homeland is mainly in the north of India, but it is spoken and widely understood in all urban centers of India. It is written in the Devanagri script, which is phonetic and, unlike English, is pronounced as it is written. Hindi is a direct descendant of Sanskrit through Prakrit and Apabhramsha. It has been influenced and enriched by Dravidian, Turkish, Farsi, Arabic, Portugese and English.
In all there are 22 languages recognized by the Indian Constitution. These languages are
Assamese
Bengali
Bodo
Dogri
Gujarati
Hindi
Kannada
Kashmiri
Konkani
Maithili
Malayalam
Manipuri
Marathi
Nepali
Oriya
Punjabi
Sanskrit
Santhali
Sindhi
Tamil
Telugu
Urdu
National Fruit
A fleshy fruit, eaten ripe or used green for pickles etc., of the tree Mangifera indica, the mango is one of the most important and widely cultivated fruits of the tropical world. Its juicy fruit is a rich source of Vitamins A, C and D. In India there are over 100 varieties of mangoes, in different sizes, shapes and colours. Mangoes have been cultivated in India from time immemorial
India
The mobile users of India grows every month with about 2.5 million people?
There are over 1500 software companies in Bangalore India?
The first reservoir and dam for irrigation was built in Saurashtra India?
The number of births that occur in India each year is higher than the entire population of Australia?
The word mongoose comes from India?
In India, Dutta Samant led a year-long strike in 1982 involved about 200000 workers?
Rusi Surti is the only Indian test cricketer to played Sheffield Shield cricket in Australia?
The airline company Air Deccan was the first low-cost flight company in India?
About 50% of the residents in India are under 25 years old?
The highest cricket ground in the world is Chail in Himachal Pradesh, India?
Indian Railways transport about five billion passengers annually?
The longest station name on the Indian Railways is Venkatanarasimharajuvariapeta?
Indian Railways is the largest employer in the world, about 1.6 million people?
The distance learning University IGNOU in India is short for Indira Gandhi National Open University?
The value of pi was first calculated by Budhayana in 800 BC, India?
The world's first known University was established in Takshashila, India in 700BC?
The only country in the world that has a Bill of Rights for Cows is India?
India is the world's largest mango producer?
Calcutta is the only place in the world where you still can travel by riksha pulled by humans?
India has more post offices than any other country?
Hockey is the National Game of India?
The Taj Mahal was in the 1830's scheduled to be torn down?
In India nearly 1200 species of birds can be found?
Taj Mahal in India is a gift of love?
India produces more movies than any other country in the world and Bollywood is the largest film industry in the world?
Indians go out to the cinema about 3 billion times a year?
India has about 800 dialects and 15 major Languages?
Algebra, Calculus, and Trigonometry comes from India?
India has health laughing clubs where people get together and laugh?
India is the largest tea producer in the world?
In Takshashila, 700BC, the first university was established?
The biggest ant in India is about an inch?
India used sugar before any other country?
4 major religions has India as birthplace Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism?
India buys more gold than any other country?
Curry powder gets its yellow color from a spice, turmeric?
The number system and decimal system was invented in India?
India is said to be the largest democracy in the world?
India is also known as Hindustan or Bharat by natives?
Before 1896 India was the only diamonds producing country in the world?
Films made in Bollywood are often seen by people in South Africa?
India is home to about 200 million cows?
India is the world's number one producer of vegetarian cheese?
The first bathrooms is said to have been built in India about 4500 years ago?
India is home to about 1200 species of birds?
India is the second most populated country in the world?
Shampoo is derived word from Hindi?
Taj Mahal is made entirely out of marble?
