1. India is the world’s largest democracy, with a 1.3 billion population. It is also the world’s second largest country, after China’s 1.4 billion population.
2. In the Hindu calendar, there are six seasons or ritus : vasant Ritu (spring), grishma ritu (summer), varsha ritu (monsoon), sharad ritu (autumn), hemant ritu (pre-winter), and shishir or shita Ritu (winter).
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3. There are more than 19,500 languages or dialects spoken in India as mother tongues. The country is one of the most diverse cultures on the planet with various regions corresponding to different languages and customs.
4. Shampoo is said to have been originated in India in 1800 A.D. “Champo” was first discovered by early colonial traders visiting India, together with body massage, and it was brought back to Europe under the name “champing.”
5. In 2022, India plans to launch its first manned space mission. The Indian government announced it will allocate $1.4 billion for the proiect.
6. Famous British actress Vivien Leigh, known for playing Scarlett O’Hara in the classic “Gone With the Wind” was born Vivian Mary Hartley on Nov. 5, 1913, in Darjeeling, India. She returned to England when Vivian was 6 years old.
7. Most Indians don’t watch Bollywood movies, according to the BBC. The country said to be obsessed with their grandiose musical productions has very few cinema screens — 13,000 compared with about 40,000 screens in the United States.
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8. The first Asian woman to win the Miss World Competition is from India. Reita Faria Powell, born in 1943 in Mumbai, is a model and doctor and won the beauty title in 1966.
9. Indian cuisine, one of world’s best-known type of food, is said to be have six types of tastes: sweet (madhura), salty (lavana), sour (amala), pungent (katu), bitter (tikta) and astringent (kasya).
10. Speaking of food, chicken Tikka Masala, a classic Indian dish and cultural reference for the country, was actually invented in Scotland.
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10 Things to Know About India originally appeared on usnews.com
