India is incredible, we all know that right! But what we don’t know are the umpteen fascinating stories and facts that our country holds in its embrace. What are those fascinating facts? Well, you will have to scroll below to get a hold of them. And let me tell you these 10 amazing facts about India, is just going to make you love our country a little more. After all its time to go #Vocalforlocal and so let’s shower some desi love!
1. The Himalayas Grow Every Year
Yes! You read that right. The Himalayas grows taller by 2 inches every year. This is no magic or miracle its pure science. This phenomenon happens as the tectonic plates that created the Himalayas keep shifting, so this makes the mountain range taller in height. So as the Himalayas grow taller each year due to the tectonic push, it also falls under its own weight. This fall even permits the Himalayas to grow sidewards. This is fascinating right?
2. The World’s Highest Post Office Is Located In India
Did you know that the world’s highest post office is situated in India? Hikkim village of Spiti Valley situated in Himachal Pradesh houses the world’s highest post office at 15,550 ft. It has been in operation since 1774. This tiny post office situated at an elevation of 4440 m connects a cluster of villages in the isolated region to the rest of the world. Villagers flock here to post letters or deposit money to their savings accounts. Travellers who commute this far, take pride in mailing letters from the world’s highest post office.
3. Indian Railway Population= Australia
Here’s a fascinating fact, the number of people travelling daily using the Indian Railways is equal to the entire population of Australia. This number is around 23 million people. The Indian Railways is the largest network in India, the second largest in the world operated under a single management. With a track length of 115,000 km, running 12,617 trains and 23 million passengers daily, the Indian railway population is equivalent to the entire population of Australia.
4. Shani Shingnapur in Maharashtra Is A Village With No Doors
Did you know Shani Shingnapur is a village in Maharashtra that has houses with no doors and locks? Legend says that 300 years ago, Lord Shani ordered a devotee to make a shrine in his name in this village and in return the Lord will protect the village from any harm. However Lord Shani had only one condition that his shrine shouldn’t have any roof, so he can guard the village unhindered. Till date, villagers in Shani Shingnapur don’t have any locks, doors or windows in their homes, and call it mystery or spirituality but no theft has occurred in the village till date.
Also Read: Shani Shingnapur Is A Village In Maharashtra Having No Doors And Locks
5. The Bandra-Worli Sea Link Wonder
Mumbaikars! The Bandra-Worli Sea Link might leave you awestruck every time you commute by it. But here’s another reason why you will end up appreciating it more the next time you go there. The length of wires that hold the picturesque Bandra Worli sea link of Mumbai is equal to the Earth’s circumference. A single steel wire can hold the weight of 900 tons and the entire bridge’s weight is equal to the weight of 50,000 African elephants. This astounding bridge room a total of 2,57,00,000 man-hours for completion. It’s truly an engineering and architectural marvel.
6. Amritsar- World’s Most Visited Religious Place
The Golden Temple of Amritsar might be on every Indian’s bucket list. And most rightly so! This holy shrine is the most visited religious place in the world. The Golden Temple of Amristar has even been certified as the most religious place in the world by the UK-based World Book of Records (WBR). Lakhs of devotees visit this holy shrine and the footfalls keep increasing by the day. On an average 1 lakh, visitors visit this shrine every day one a daily basis. This number just doubles during significant functions like Gurpurab or Baisakhi. This truly is the most visited religious place in the world. This Is How The Sikh Community Have Globally Been Offering Services To The Needy Amid The Pandemic
7. A Man In Mizoram Has The World’s Biggest Family
Did you know a man in India has the world’s biggest family with 181 family members? That’s the great Indian happy family, right? Ziona Chana, a man from Mizoram has 9 wives, 94 children, 14 daughters-in-law and 33 grandchildren. He resides in a 100 room mansion in the Baktawng village of Mizoram. He also holds the world record as the head of the “world’s largest existing family”. With 181 family members and still counting, Ziona was even featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Mizoram’s Aizawl Has A Mini Roadside Library Where People Can Read Books For Free
8. Delhi Has The World’s Bouncer Village
The twin Indian villages of Asola- Fatehpuri Biri in New Delhi is known to have the world’s only bouncer village. Around 300 musclemen from this village are employed in bars and clubs around the capital. This village is unique for producing bouncers who train themselves on treadmills, lift weights and build their muscles in the most unique ways. More than90% of the men from this village are bouncers. And all this started with Vijay Tanwar who missed out on a spot in the Indian Wrestling team for Olympics. But his muscles and strong physique helped him bag the job of a bouncer. He was the first bouncer from his village and set the trend, making the Delhi village the world’s bouncer village. If you love Delhi, then here are 8 Films To Explore Delhi From Home
9. Mangalyaan Budget < Hollywood’s ‘Gravity’ Budget
Mission Mangal was an inspirational film that remained etched in our hearts. But the actual story behind Mangalyaan is an even more inspiring one. ISRO’s Mars orbiting mission actually cost lesser than the Hollywood science fiction film ‘Gravity’. The Oscar-winning film cost $26 million more than the entire budget of the Mangalyaan space mission. The Mars Orbiter Mission, also known by the acronym MOM or Mangalyaan cost $74 million and the Hollywood blockbuster starring Sandra Bullock cost $100 million. The budget of Mangalyaan is also just one-ninth the cost of NASA’s $671 million Maven mission, which also put its spacecraft into Mars orbit.
10. World’s Only Floating Post Office Situated In Srinagar
Did you know the world’s only floating post office is located in India? No points for guessing where, it’s situated in the same place which houses India’s floating market, in Srinagar’s Dal Lake. The floating post office is perched on a houseboat that also has a charming museum inside. This floating postal office in Dal Lake was integrated in August 2011. In fact, it’s surprising that the world’s only floating post office is the only one int he world, making its a unique piece of architecture. Srinagar Residents To Soon Grow Their Own Food As Kitchen Gardens Become Mandatory
So these were some of the amazing facts about India that you probably find know. But this will definitely make you appreciate and love our country a little more.