Facts about India That Will Amaze You

The five amazing facts that might amaze you about India.

1. India is a massive country.
India is enormous. Extremely large. You won’t believe how wide, gigantic, and mind-blowingly large it is. The sheer size of India, stretching about 2,000 miles from Kashmir in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south, and a comparable distance from east to west, means it’s unlikely you’ll be able to see the entire country in a single trip. Make a choice of few main regional cities (for example, Mumbai, Panjim, and Bangalore in the south, or Kolkata, Darjeeling, and Lucknow in the north-east) and allow plenty of time to travel around them.

2. There are 22 official languages in the country.
India is known for its regional diversity in language, culture, food, and architecture, in addition to its geographical expanse. Even for those who have been here previously, the country’s diversity is constantly intriguing, but it can make learning the local dialect more difficult than usual for visitors who like to pick up a few phrases. Check the local language before you travel. Hindi will not get you very far in the south.

3. Indian cuisine is more than just Chicken Tikka Masala.
A journey to India will introduce you to dozens of delectable foods that you won’t find in the UK. Up in the highlands, delicate steamed dum pukht is slow-cooked in a covered pot over a low fire; fresh fish is simply fried in Kerala and Goa, and delightful masala dosa can be found all over the south. An all-you-can-eat thali — a giant pile of rice served with several different types of curry and vegetables, topped up whenever your plate appears empty — is one of the greatest ways to taste Indian cookery, especially if you’re exceptionally hungry. 

4. You may enjoy a fantastic trip to India without ever visiting the “Golden Triangle.”
Many travelers come to India to spend their first visit hauling between Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Varanasi, following a schedule pushed by outside agencies as a vacation through the best of India. As a result of this strategy, the “Golden Triangle” has become one of the most overcrowded, over-touristed, costly, and disappointing parts of the subcontinent. There are other places in India that are not only nicer, more attractive, less polluted, and less stressful than these four cities.

5. The Taj Mahal isn’t the only stunning structure in India.
The Taj Mahal is without a doubt India’s most iconic architectural monument, and many visitors come to the country just to see it. That’s a shame because the country has a plethora of other buildings and attractions that are frequently neglected in the Taj’s shadow. The Sri Meenakshi temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, is a stunning example of Dravidian architecture; the Ellora caves near Aurangabad, Maharashtra, are filled with stunning rock-cut sculptures; and the 16th-century Mattancherry Palace in Cochin, Kerala, is well worth visiting for its murals painted and polished wooden floors.