25 Fun and Educational Facts about India

India is a country in South Asia. It has an area of 32,87,590 square kilometers, making it the seventh-largest country in the world. With 1.2 billion people, India is the country with the second largest population in the world. It shares borders with China, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. This amazing country has beautiful scenery, fun festivals, and delicious food that will make you fall in love with it all.

Here are 25 interesting and fun facts about India. Kids will really enjoy learning about this great country.

Let's get started.

1. India's tallest mountain is Kanchenjunga, which stands 8,598m (28,209 ft) tall and is shared with Nepal. Kanchenjunga is the world's third highest peak.
2. The capital city is New Delhi, and Mumbai has the most people. Kolkata, Chennai, and Bangalore are also very large cities.
3. The Ganges River is 2525km long and is India's longest river (1,569 mi). The Hindus regard this as their most sacred river.
4. India treats cows as different from any other animal. Indians hold them in a special place in their hearts. They worship cows. Here, cows are seen as goddesses and are called "Gau Mata," which means "Cow Mother."
5. The renowned board game "snake and ladders," which is now played worldwide, originated in India. It was made so that young children could learn about Their religious beliefs easily.
6. The Taj Mahal in India, built by King Shah-Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz, is widely regarded as one of the world's most stunning landmarks. It is one of the world's Seven Wonders. Tens of thousands of tourists flock to India every year specifically to witness the extraordinary splendor of this ancient structure.
7. In India, people speak many different languages. Some of the most important ones are Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, and Urdu. On the other hand, English and Hindi are the official languages. India also has the world's second-largest number of English speakers after the United States. This is because most Indians speak both their regional language and English to communicate with one another.
8. When two Indians meet, they say "namaste" and bow down a little while holding hands together. Namaste is a greeting that means "I bow to you."
9. The most famous festival in India is Holi Festival. It lasts for two days. It is a festival of love, spring, and new life. Most people are familiar with the festival's second day, when people play with colored powder, paint, water pistols, and balloons. People throw all these things at each other in the streets, creating a color bloodbath in the end. Holi is also known as "the festival of colors" because of this.
10. India's flag is a beautiful tricolor flag with three stripes of saffron, white, and green. Each stripe represents a different thing: courage and sacrifice, truth, peace, purity, and prosperity. The flag has an Ashoka chakra in the middle. It is drawn in navy blue on a white background.
11. India's national fruit is the mango, the "king of fruits." Its sweet smell and delicious taste have won the hearts of many people worldwide since the earliest times.
12. Lotus is India's national flower. It symbolizes purity because it grows in mud and water but stays clean.
13. The Indian national bird is the peacock. It is also known as the Indian peafowl. It's a sign of beauty and grace.
14. India's national animal is the tiger, also called the Bengal tiger. One of the biggest cats on Earth is the Bengal Tiger. The tiger, which is known as the "Lord of the Jungle," was chosen as India's national animal because it was thought to represent the country's diverse wildlife.
15. The national tree of India is the Indian Banyan tree. The tree is also called Kalpavriksha, which means "wish-fulfilling tree." The Banyan tree is called that because it has a lot of healing properties and is thought to make people live longer.
16. India was the first place where shampoo was found. It meant massaging herbs into your hair and came from the Sanskrit word "Champu" (meaning massage).
17. In special occasions, like weddings and festivals, people from the southern part of India eat meals served on fresh banana leaves. The leaves give the food specific smells.
18. Men and women wear a wide variety of traditional clothes. Most women wear a sari made of colorful silk or cotton. The sari is a long piece of fabric that is worn like a dress around the body. A dhoti is a piece of white cloth that men wrap around their hips and pull through their legs.
19. Chai or tea is the most popular drink in the country. In India, black tea is brewed and mixed with milk, sugar, and spices to make chai. It is also sometimes called Masala Chai, where "masala" is a blend of spices and herbs that smells good.
20. Rice, veggies, bread, and spices are what most Indians eat every day. Also, fish and seafood near the coast, chicken, pork, beef, and game meats in different areas. Many dishes have vegetables and fruits, like spinach, peas, mustard greens, mango, pineapple, or bananas.
21. Most Indian food has a lot of spices, and some parts of the country are known for their very hot and spicy food. A spice is a plant part that is mostly used to make food look different or taste better. Spices like chili, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin (jeera), coriander (dhania), and cloves are used often.
22. 20–40% of the people in India are vegetarians. A big reason is a religion, especially Hinduism and Jainism. Personal choices are another reason.
23. Cricket is the most played sport in India. Indian kids play sports like soccer, hockey, badminton, and backgammon, as well as board games like Parcheesi and backgammon. Basketball is also getting a lot more attention.
24. India's population is made up of people from many different cultures, so there are a lot of different holidays and festivals. These include Diwali, Holi, Eid, Navaratri, Ganesh Chaturthi, Pongal, and many more.
25. Indian elephants are the largest land mammals on Earth. They have large ears and long trunks that make them stand out. They mostly eat grass, but they also eat bark, roots, leaves, stems, and leaves of trees, vines, and shrubs. They also eat bananas, rice, sugarcane, and other crops that have been grown. Hindus believe that elephants are holy animals.