20 Things You’ll Only See in India

India is not just a country with 330 million gods. In the country you can bet on bullfights or stroll like Tarzan through bridges with live roots. The place has a lot to offer tourists, and here are the facts that prove it.

The Incredible.club wants to show you that India still hides many secrets that you didn’t know.

The third sex, the hijras

In India, the term Hijra is used to refer to those who consider themselves transgender or transsexual. According to the Kama-sutra , the history of hijras in the Indian subcontinent dates back to ancient times. In April 2014, the Supreme Court of India recognized trans people as a “third sex” in a special law, which is reflected in their passports and other official documents.

The pilgrimage of 130 million people

The Kumbh Mela is a Hindu pilgrimage that repeats every 12 years and the largest human gathering in the world that can even be seen from space. This year, it was held in the city of Allahabad, from January 15 to March 4, and it is estimated that 130 million people participated.

The first plastic surgery book

The Sushruta Samhita is an ancient medical text in Sanskrit as one of the first and most important writings related to the detailed study of medicine and surgery. It was developed by Sushruta and dated around the 6th century BC Modern plastic surgery seems to have originated from this text, which describes the procedure for reconstructing the lips and nose using a piece of skin from the cheeks.

Bull surfing

The Touro surf is a sports race held in the village of Anandapally, in the southern state of Kerala, during the post-harvest season. A pair of bulls have to plow a rice field the size of a flooded football field, and the water reaches ankle height, while workers surf behind them on a wooden board holding the animals’ tails or their harnesses

Unusual post offices

In India, post offices can be really different from the ones we are used to. Like a floating agency built on a floating house or the tallest in the world , located at 4,725 meters above sea level, in the state of Himachal Pradesh. In the 1970s, some cities in the state of Rajasthan had mobile post offices even on camels, while mules were used in the mountainous areas of Darjeeling municipality in the state of Bengal.

Unique species of animals in danger of extinction

India is home to some of the rarest and most unique species that can be found in Asia. Among them are the Asian lion , in danger of extinction, and the purple frog .

The highest consumption of gold per year

India is among the largest gold consumers in the world. In the past 10 years, the country’s demand has averaged 838 tonnes per year. In 2018, 760.4 tonnes of the metal was consumed, most of which was used to make jewelry for weddings and festivals.

Bridges made from living roots

The bridges in the state of Meghalaya, the rainiest in the world, are made entirely from roots to prevent them from rotting due to moisture. The construction process of these structures takes years, but those made in this way are much more resistant than those made of wood.

The richest Hindu temple in the world

The Padmanabhaswamy Temple, in the Kerala state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, is not only the richest Hindu temple in the world, but it is also the most valuable place of worship that has ever existed. In 2011, the archeology department opened the site’s secret compartments to inspect the items stored inside and found objects of gold, silver and precious stones worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

The 16 ornaments that married women should wear

Only after marriage can women wear their 16 ornaments, called Sola Shringar . Among these are the Bindi , the colored dot in the center of the forehead, and the Nath , or the nose ring.

330 million gods

In India, about 80% of the population is Hindu. The religion has 330 million deities , some of them unknown to the Hindus themselves – yet they are venerated equally, despite not knowing their names. The most revered are the Trimurti, better known as the Hindu Trinity: Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. Among these gods, everyone has exactly the same level of importance.

Fasting for 80 years

Prahlad Jani is an Indian monk who claims not to eat or drink since 1940. He says that the goddess Amba keeps him alive. Two observational studies of Jani were conducted, one in 2003 and the other in 2010. In both, the researchers confirmed Jani’s ability to survive without food or water during the experimental periods, although the research has not been published by any scientific journal.

The tallest statue in the world

India has the record for having the tallest statue in the world, known as the “ Statue of Unity ”, at 182 meters in height. She represents the leader of the Indian independence movement Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, popularly known as Sardar Patel.

The color of mourning is not black

Unlike the rest of the world, mourning after the death of a loved one is represented by white , the symbol of purity, and not black. When a woman loses her husband, even years later she will wear a white sari, while a widower, especially in Rajasthan, will wear a turban of the same color.

The magnetic mountain of Ladakh

Magnetic Mountain is a gravity mountain located near the city of Leh, in the Ladakh region. In fact, it has caused Indian Air Force planes in the past to veer off course to avoid magnetic interference. The objects and cars on it may appear to rise, defying gravity, when in fact they are going downhill, since the mountain road is actually a descent.

The Nine Strangers

The Nine Unknowns are a secret society founded by the emperor Ashoka, around 270 a. C., to preserve and develop knowledge that could be dangerous for humanity if they fell into the wrong hands. Each of the 9 is supposedly responsible for protecting and improving a single book. Each book, in turn, is dedicated to a different branch of potentially dangerous knowledge.

The largest film industry in the world

Bollywood is the Indian film industry in Hindi, based in Mumbai, which produced 1,813 films in 2018 alone. In 2012, it far surpassed the number of Hollywood productions. The term “Bollywood” derives from the merger of two famous city names, Bombay (another name by which Mumbai is called) and Hollywood.

The Tower of Silence

In the Zoroastrian religion, Earth and Fire are considered sacred. For this reason, Dakhma, also called the Tower of Silence , was built. It is a circular, elevated structure built for corpses to be exposed to carnivorous birds, usually vultures. Although they are also present in Iran, towers of silence are used only in India.

Men holding hands in public

In India, it is common to see men holding hands in the streets. In some countries, this can be seen as a sign of specific sexual orientation, but in India it is just a show of affection between two true friends. However, it is very rare to see signs of affection between a man and a woman, and kissing in public is prohibited.

Wedding rings on the feet

In Tamil Nadu state, the wedding ring is placed on the index finger of the foot. The two silver rings, placed by the groom on the second finger of his beloved, according to the beliefs, contribute to a healthy pregnancy. In this case, gold rings should be avoided, since gold for Hindus is the symbol of the goddess of abundance: Lakshmi. Putting it on your feet, which is considered the most humble part of the body, can be considered an insult.

Have you ever traveled to India? How many of these facts did you know? We look forward to your comments!