Facts about the history of India You Probably Don’t Know Yet

A long time ago, when dinosaurs roamed Earth and Netflix did not exist, the Asian continent was hit by an unexpected giant that ended up becoming a lifelong neighbor. We are talking about India and its fascinating history as a pioneer of plastic surgery and creator of shampoos.

The travelworld.co invites you to embark on a journey back in time to witness some of the most fascinating episodes in the history of this country.

1. Practiced advanced surgery since ancient times

If you think plastic surgery is a modern creation, you will be surprised, as Indians have been practicing it for over 2,500 years, specifically since the 6th century BC. At that time, a prominent doctor called Sushruta lived . He is considered a parent of the surgery and for good reason.

His book Sushruta Samhita is a real jewel that covers more than 1,100 diseases, presents all types of medicinal plants and dozens of surgical procedures. But what is probably the most surprising thing about this book is that in it the doctor described surgical reconstruction of the nose.

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2. It was the first diamond distributor country in the world

Until the beginning of the 18th century, India was the world’s only source of diamonds, maintaining a monopoly for almost a thousand years. According to the Gemological Institute of America , these precious stones were discovered and traded in the fourth century BC. Industrial diamond mining was not an option at the time, so India had little production.

But that was not a problem, since demand was limited: only the wealthiest could afford to buy diamonds, including European royalty, such as Empress Catherine II of Russia. Since then, countries like Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo have taken the lead in diamond production.

3. Where the first civilizations were born, as we know them today

Civilized urban life as we know it today arose 5,000 years ago in India. There was no Wi-Fi, of course, but the culture of the Indus Valley was one of the most advanced in the ancient world. The Encyclopedia of Ancient History explains that, in 2,600 BC, dozens of developed towns and cities belonged to this civilization.

The houses had toilets and artesian wells and each city had a drainage system. Social conditions were also better than those of other civilizations at the time. In addition, they had a mysterious writing system, yet to be deciphered by scientists. Who knows what wonders hide these ancient texts, right?

4. It was also a civilization ahead of its time

During the Vedic period , between 1500 and 500 BC, Indian society was probably the most egalitarian in the world at the time. Although society was patriarchal, women were highly respected, could become wise and visionary, received education like that of men and enjoyed all rights.

Even political debates were rarely held without women speaking. Furthermore, the men who listened to them were considered wise. There were also no arranged marriages, this was a later invention.

5. They invented one of the most important numbers

We would be in trouble without that number, even if it means nothing. It literally means nothing, because we are talking about the number zero . The ancient Indians invented the concept of zero and the rules of its use around the 7th century AD. Before that, the idea of ​​”nothing” had not even been treated as a number. It was nothing more than an empty space between the “real” numbers.

6. We owe India the use of shampoo

Have you ever found the word shampoo weird? It is very likely, unless you are from India. The word shampoo derives from the Hindi word “shampoo”, which means ” massage ” or “knead”. The first mention of this “head massage” was made by the Greek historian Estrabo , in the fourth century BC.

Only for Indians it was common to wash the head with shampoo: they massaged it with different herbs and extracts and then rinsed it to keep their hair clean. The practice of using shampoo only arrived in Europe a thousand years later, at the beginning of the 19th century.

7. She gave us a genius for mathematics and astronomy

In ancient India, mathematics and astronomy were two main disciplines since 1500 BC, and it can be said that one of the most important minds in India lived in the 5th century AD, and was called Ariabata (Aryabhatiyae). He wrote a treatise on astronomy, which became the basis for many later studies.

Although Ariabata believed that the Sun and Moon revolved around the Earth, he also presented many ideas in his works that are still used. He calculated the duration of the year at almost 525,600 minutes, found the value of 3.14 for the Pi number and explained that the Moon and the Planets shine due to the sunlight that is reflected on them.

8. India is the board game guru

The great-grandfather of chess was invented in India. It was called “ Chaturanga ” and it appeared around the 6th century AD. Nobody knows the exact rules of this game, but judging by its appearance, it can be assumed that it had a lot in common with chess, including the Japanese game “ Shogi”.

Another classic board game is called “Snakes and stairs”. It is not known where and when it first appeared, but most say it comes from the 13th century Indian game called “ Mokshapat ”. The idea was to teach children about addiction, in the form of snakes, and about virtues, using the stairs.

9. India was not a subcontinent, but an island

In the era of dinosaurs, over 100 million years ago, India was an island . It had detached itself from a supercontinent and was traveling slowly northward, reaching its current location some 50 million years later.

The giant Indian island collided with Asia in a colossal continental blow. The impact was so strong that the Himalayas formed almost instantly. In fact, India, which is now a subcontinent, continues to move slowly northwards, making Everest grow more and more.

Have you ever been to this wonderful country? Do you know other impactful facts about your history? Leave your opinion in the comments below!