There are many ‘mind blowing’ and ‘lesser known’ facts about India, and I have written some answers earlier, but here I am going to write about some which will surely astound many people.
As an Indian, I wish that all Indians know of this fact. Are we all not fascinated by probably the most important building in India - the Parliament House? However, people don’t know and the media is silent on the fact that the design of this monument is neither original nor unique.
The design of the monument was copied by Messrs Lutyens from an old and forgotten temple in Madhya Pradesh, India - the Chausath Yogini Temple[1]
The details are long, so kindly read - What are some facts about India that Indians are generally unaware of?
There have been great civilizations in near and distant past and they have left their impressions, but mostly are in stones (monument/structure) like the Great Pyramids, the Great Wall of China, etc., India is unique in this respect because the great Indian minds not only created great monuments in stone, they created a wealth of literature covering the entire spectrum of human life, including human body, cosmology, astronomy, aeronautical sciences, medicines etc which, to this day are revered for their contents. Here is a small list of some great works of literature.
- Vedas are revered for their Philosophy and spirituality - These are older than any major structure present on earth today. The Vedas were ‘written down’ around 3,000 bce, after being in existence in the oral tradition (memorized and recited) for centuries, even thousands of years (this is of unknown antiquity, it is believed). Despite being so ancient Vedas are very much a part of Indian psyche. Hymns and verses from these sacred texts are recited till date during rituals.
- Upanishads - These too are held high in spirituality and philosophy. Many verses from the 200 or so Upanishads are recited today. Many western and Indian thinkers and philosophers consider these to be the greatest works by mankind.
- Bhagavad Gita - The song of God - This is part of the MahaBharata which is the longest epic ever written. This scripture envelops the Hindu mind. The 700 verses of this scripture are considered the guiding lights of way of life for Hindus.
- Ramayana - This great epic on the life of God Rama is the second most read scripture after the Bhagavad Gita. Originally written by Sage Valmiki, this scripture inspired numerous others to write commentaries and versions of it in later centuries. These literary works were written in many other countries - Indonesia, Malaysia etc have their own versions. Earlier this month a group of Muslim artistes from Indonesia to perform Ram Lila from Indonesia performed their version of Ram Leela in Ayodhya. Among other dignitaries was the First Lady of Korea[2] whose ancestry is believed to be the King of Ayodhya nearly millennia ago. Among the participants were other artists from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Laos etc., Ramlila is performed in over 65 countries worldwide.
- Arthashastra - Written by Vishnugupta (aka -Chanakya/ Kautilaya). This is the first known treatise on Statecraft, economic policy, civil and criminal codes, and military warfare. Chanakya was the man who assisted his prodigy - Chandragupta who established the mighty Maurya Empire.
- Natya Shastra - This 1 millennium bce text written by Bharata Muni is the oldest known text of performing arts. This 6000 verse also has one great message for all - freedom of speech. The effect an philosophy of this text resonates till this day because the text says that the performing arts should transport the audience to a different world. No wonder Indian movies, drama, dances have music (and songs) as an integral part of the arts.
- Surya Siddhanta - This treatise on Astronomy written between 5th century bce and 5th century ce, has virtually precise calculations on various principles of our solar system and astronomy. Various information provided in this text closely correspond to modern scientific calculations.
- Aṣṭādhyāyī - This classic of 6th century bce is unparalleled when it comes to composition of grammar. The treatise written by Pāṇini is, to this day considered to be the best composition of grammar in any language. Sanskrit grammar,[3] is thus considered the best language for computers.[4]
- Shatapatha Brahmana - This 1st millennia bce classic prose text speaks about sacrifice during rituals, but more importantly, it contains some astronomical facts that are considered facts today. Among them it mentions Sun as the star around which the planets and its satellites revolve.[5][6]
- Sutras- These are religious texts for followers of Buddhism and Jain sects. These were earlier parts of the Vedas but later became independent scriptures for Buddhists and Jains.
- Kama Sutra - Contrary to general perception, this 1st millennia bce is text is not only about erotology - it is about finding a partner, nature of love, and art of living a life. This text is part of a greater array of books which include the Kamashastra (this text is purely on erotology). If we look closer we find these texts to be the only ancient texts on sex-education. The effect of these texts can be seen on the exterior carvings of many temples of ancient times. The temples of Khajuraho are a prime example.
- Nyāya Sūtras - Nyāya Sutra Bhāshya - These 600bce set of texts are about use of knowledge and logic
Similarly, there are hundreds of other texts which have stood the test of time, and they are unique. There is no other civilization which can boast of such wide array of literary work, but India can - because it has.
While monuments is stone are exemplary, here are some exquisite works of engineering and architecture - on subterranean monuments of India which very few are aware of. Kind see the breathtaking images and admire the craftsmanship of the era gone by.
GREAT SUBTERRANEAN MONUMENTS - The Stepwells of India - the image above is just a clue :)
This is one aspect which is not mentioned by many although it is surprising that India is one of the top ten destinations for Medical Tourism.
Medical tourists come to India for a whole range of treatment - from heart bypass to dental surgeries.
Most tourists are from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan etc, but a growing trend is that of western tourists coming to India. They come for a whole range of complicated and serious medical needs.
India had 1.27 million medical tourists in 2012, according to Forbes. What is more surprising is that India has second largest number of accredited hospitals where foreign tourists arrive. [7] (go to page 11 for details on medical tourism).
India is now among the top ten destinations of the world for this purpose. According to another report, major contributors to India’s Medical Tourism actually come from - 6 countries.[8]
The main reason why these patients come to India is due to specialized hospitals, well trained doctors and surgeons, and most importantly, for “world class treatment at third world prices” as one patient from the USA put it. Patients save anywhere from 65–90% of their expenses by getting treated in India.[9]
The Medical tourism business industry is expected to fetch 8 billion USD by 2022.
M E G A - K I T C H E N S of India
The wonderful ‘Langar’ of Shri Harmandir Saheb (Golden Temple) is world famous for the free food provided to the visitors. It serves 50,000 people/day and goes upto 100,000 meals/day on special days. [10] That is a well known fact around the world.
There are many free meal schemes and mega kitchens in India. I am not sure I have the entire list, but I will put some noted ones here:
AKSHAYA PATRA[11] - This is part of Govt of India’s ‘Mid-day Meal’ scheme which is provided to school children (which are mostly run by GoI/states). Under this scheme, the NGO provides free meals for over 1.27 million children across Indian states (for details kindly click on the link). The meals are cooked in hi-tech modern kitchens.[12]
Shri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara - Karanataka. This private organization run by a trust, runs modern education system and provides meals for people who visit this ‘Sthala’ (place). This kitchen serves anywhere from 50–70,000 meals a day to the devotees who visit the temple, and on special days like Lakshdeepotsava, the number of meals goes well over a 100,000. Great part is that the Dharmasthala is virtually self- sufficient in its procurements because all ingredients from its own cultivation which includes, milk and dairy products, vegetables and grains. Along with this, there are other mega-kitchens, like Shirdi Prasadalaya[13]
Among the mega-kitchens K.I.S.S.[14] - for me this is a favourite because of what it means to tens of thousands - The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences is one man’s dream and accomplishment. Dr. Achyuta Samanta rose from a poverty stricken family to create this mega Institution, among others.
KISS is home to over 27,000 children from tribal background in Odisha. KISS provides them with education, residential accommodation, medical services up to graduation and beyond. All this is FREE. This institution is also producing sporting (even Olympic) champions, apart from providing over 70,000 meals a day. This is a NatGeo documentary on KISS.
IRCTC - Indian Railways’ catering service provides meals for 600,000 people everyday of the week, across India - 10 Facts About India’s Mega Kitchens That Will Leave You Stunned
Similarly, there are at least 14 other trusts/institutions which provide free meals (some at ridiculously low cost) for 10s of thousands of people. All can’t be listed here.
Like this question, there was another one which I have answered. The question was about ‘places in India people won’t believe till they see it’. A frozen water fall? Frozen lakes? How many Golden Temples of India, and a Shiva-Lingam where Hindus and Muslims pray? It is true - they exist. What are some places in India that are hard to believe exist until you visit them?
I will end with a prayer (verses from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
Sarvesham Svastir Bhavatu - May there be well-being for all
Sarvesham Shantir Bhavatu - May there be peace for all
Sarvesham Poornam Bhavatu - May there be fulfillment for all
Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavatu - May there be auspiciousness for all
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Sarve bhavantu Sukhinaha - May all be happy
Sarve Santu Niramayaaha - May all be free from disabilities
Sarve Bharani Pashchyantu - May all take care of others
Maschid Dukh Bhah-bhavet - May all be free from sadness and suffering
ॐ shanti; shanti; shanti: - Aum… Peace, Peace, Peace!!!
Link in the below mentioned.....
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