Important Quotes By Some Scientist or Writer

 I Proud To Be an Indian

हम गर्व से कह सकते हैं की हम भारतीय हैं , कुछ विद्वानों और साहित्यकारों ने भारत की परसंसा कुछ इस तरह से की है :



"हम सभी भारतीयों का अभिवादन करते हैं, जिन्होंने हमें गिनती करना सिखाया, जिसके बिना विज्ञान की कोई भी खोज संभव नहीं थी।!"

- एल्बर्ट आइनस्टाइन (सैद्धांतिक भौतिक विज्ञानी, जर्मनी)

"भारत मानव जाति का पालना है, मानवीय वाणी का जन्म स्थान है, इतिहास की जननी है और विभूतियों की दादी है और इन सब के ऊपर परम्पराओं की परदादी है। मानव इतिहास में हमारी सबसे कीमती और सबसे अधिक अनुदेशात्मक सामग्री का भण्डार केवल भारत में है!"

- मार्क ट्वेन (लेखक, अमेरिका)

"यदि पृथ्वी के मुख पर कोई ऐसा स्थान है जहां जीवित मानव जाति के सभी सपनों को बेहद शुरुआती समय से आश्रय मिलता है, और जहां मनुष्य ने अपने अस्तित्व का सपना देखा, वह भारत है।!"

- रोम्या रोलां (फ्रांसीसी विद्वान)

"भारत ने शताब्दियों से एक लम्बे आरोहण के दौरान मानव जाति के एक चौथाई भाग पर अमिट छाप छोड़ी है। भारत के पास उसका स्थान मानवीयता की भावना को सांकेतिक रूप से दर्शाने और महान राष्ट्रों के बीच अपना स्थान बनाने का दावा करने का अधिकार है। पर्शिया से चीनी समुद्र तक साइबेरिया के बर्फीलें क्षेत्रों से जावा और बोरनियो के द्वीप समूहों तक भारत में अपनी मान्यता, अपनी कहानियां और अपनी सभ्*यता का प्रचार प्रसार किया है।"

- सिल्विया लेवी (फ्रांसीसी विद्वान)

"सभ्यताएं दुनिया के अन्य भागों में उभर कर आई हैं। प्राचीन और आधुनिक समय के दौरान एक जाति से दूसरी जाति तक अनेक अच्छे विचार आगे ले जाए गए हैं. . . परन्तु मार्क, मेरे मित्र, यह हमेशा युद्ध के बिगुल बजाने के साथ और ताल बद्ध सैनिकों के पद ताल से शुरू हुआ है। हर नया विचार रक्त के तालाब में नहाया हुआ होता था . . . विश्व की हर राजनैतिक शक्ति को लाखों लोगों के जीवन का बलिदान देना होता था, जिनसे बड़ी तादाद में अनाथ बच्चे और विधवाओं के आंसू दिखाई देते थे। यह अन्य अनेक राष्ट्रों ने सीखा, किन्तु भारत में हजारों वर्षों से शांति पूर्वक अपना अस्तित्व बनाए रखा। यहां जीवन तब भी था जब ग्रीस अस्तित्व में नहीं आया था . . . इससे भी पहले जब इतिहास का कोई अभिलेख नहीं मिलता, और परम्पराओं ने उस अंधियारे भूतकाल में जाने की हिम्मत नहीं की। तब से लेकर अब तक विचारों के बाद नए विचार यहां से उभर कर आते रहे और प्रत्येक बोले गए शब्द के साथ आशीर्वाद और इसके पूर्व शांति का संदेश जुड़ा रहा। हम दुनिया के किसी भी राष्ट्र पर विजेता नहीं रहे हैं और यह आशीर्वाद हमारे सिर पर है और इसलिए हम जीवित हैं. . .!"

- स्वामी विवेकानन्द (भारतीय)

"यदि हम से पूछा जाता कि आकाश तले कौन सा मानव मन सबसे अधिक विकसित है, इसके कुछ मनचाहे उपहार क्या हैं, जीवन की सबसे बड़ी समस्याओं पर सबसे अधिक गहराई से किसने विचार किया है और इसकी समाधान पाए हैं तो मैं कहूंगा इसका उत्तर है भारत।"

- मेक्स मुलर (जर्मन विद्वान)

"भारत ने चीन की सीमापार अपना एक भी सैनिक न भेजते हुए बीस शताब्दियों के लिए चीन को सांस्कृतिक रूप से जीता और उस पर अपना प्रभुत्व बनाया है।"

- हु शिह (अमेरिका में चीन के पूर्व राजदूत)

“दुनिया के कुछ हिस्से ऐसे हैं जहां एक बार जाने के बाद वे आपके मन में बस जाते हैं और उनकी याद कभी नहीं मिटती। मेरे लिए भारत एक ऐसा ही स्थान है। जब मैंने यहां पहली बार कदम रखा तो मैं यहां की भूमि की समृद्धि, यहां की चटक हरियाली और भव्य वास्तुकला से, यहां के रंगों, खुशबुओं, स्वादों और ध्वनियों की शुद्ध, संघन तीव्रता से अपने अनुभूतियों को भर लेने की क्षमता से अभिभूत हो गई। यह अनुभव कुछ ऐसा ही था जब मैंने दुनिया को उसके स्याह और सफेद रंग में देखा, जब मैंने भारत के जनजीवन को देखा और पाया कि यहां सभी कुछ चमकदार बहुरंगी है।”

- किथ बेलोज़ (मुख्य संपादक, नेशनल जियोग्राफिक सोसाइटी)

Happy Bakra Eid to all Indians

Happy Bakra Eid to all Indians

Famous Temples in India

Khajuraho Temples Madhya Pradesh

      Situated in the heart of Central India, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is a fascinating village with a quaint rural ambience and a rich cultural heritage. The fascinating temples of Khajuraho, India's unique gift of love to the world, represent the expression of a highly matured civilization. After the Taj it is the most frequently visited monument in India. Khajuraho is a unique example of Indo-Aryan architecture. The Chandela rulers between 950-1050 built these temples. There were 85 temples, which were built, and only 22 of them survive today. The temples are a world heritage site and belong not just to India but to the world. The Archeological Survey of India's dedicated efforts towards their conservation rank them against the best preserved monuments of this antiquity. Most of the temples are built of sandstone in varying shades of buff, pink or pale yellow. They each belong to a different sect, the Shiva, Vaishnava or Jaina Sects, but are often indistingushable from one another to the untrained eye. The temples are lofty with ample walking space separating them. The interior rooms are inter connected and placed in an East/West line. Each contains an entrance, a hall, a vestibule and a sanctum. Windows were added to the larger temples to add a feeling of space and light blog.

Unlike other temples Khajuraho temples are said to have a theme (women), which comes in front while going through the temples. A celebration of womankind, her myriad moods and facets. There are carvings of a woman writing letter, applying makeup to her eyes, combing her tresses, dancing, and playing with her child. Innocent, coquettish, smiling, seductive, passionate and beautiful, all depicted in intricate detail, sharply etched, sculpted with consummate skill. One opinion says Chandelas were followers of the tantric cult, which believes that gratification of Earthly desires is a step towards attaining the infinite liberation, Nirvana.

 Akshardham Temple,Delhi

The Akshardham Temple is one of the most recently built temples in Delhi. Constructed by the Bochasanvasi Aksharpurushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), it is situated on the banks of the River Yamuna. Delhi Akshar Dham Mandir was inaugurated in Novenmber'05 in the presence of President APJ Abdul Kalam. It is spread over an area of 100 acres and took about two years to complete. Akshardhaam Temple of New Delhi is built in an architectural style similar to that of the Akshardham temple of Gandhinagar in Gujarat, India. Its construction is based on the ancient Sthaapatya shastras of India and it is built without steel, entirely out of sandstone and marble.

Approximately 234 ornate pillars, floral motifs, arches, exquisitely carved pavilions, 9 ornate domes, 20 quadrangle shikhars, a spectacular Gajendra Pith (plinth of stone elephants), adorn this architectural wonder. There are 20,000 statues inside Akshar Dham Mandir of Delhi of India's great sadhus, devotees, acharyas and divine personas. Other features of the Akshardham Temple are an IMAX theatre, a Swaminarayan temple, and an elaborate musical fountain. The area around the temple building has been converted into manicured lawns with beautiful water fountains.

The main shrine of the New Delhi Akshardhaam temple houses the statue of Lord Swaminarayan. There is an Akshardham Temple Monument to World Peace inside the temple complex. Along with that, there is also a restaurant modeled on the Ajanta and Ellora caves and an Ayurvedic bazaar. Combining Rajasthani, Orrisan, Gujarati, Mughal and Jain temple architecture, the mandir presents a magnificent sight. This temple is a major tourist attraction and counts amongst the wonders of modern India. 

Somnath Temple,Gujrat 

Somnath Temple is situated in the Junagadh district of Gujarat. It is a famous temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is one of the twelve jyotirlingas in India. The most interesting fact about the Somanth temple is that it has been built and destroyed six times. The present structure was rebuilt the seventh time. There a number of legends attached to the Somnath Temple of India. It is said that the Moon God, Chandra was married to 27 daughters of Daksh Prajapati, but he favored Rohini.

This enraged the Prajapati and he cursed Moon to wane. In order to recover, he prayed to Lord Shiva at the Prabhas Tirtha. Lord Shiva was pleased with his devotion and cured him. Then, on the advice of Brahma, Moon God built the temple in the honor of the Lord and to show his gratitude. It is said that the first temple was built by Moon God in gold, followed by Ravana in silver, Lord Krishna in Sandalwood and King Bhimdev in Stone. The Somnath temple has a magnificent sprawling complex and is a great pilgrim site for the Hindus.

The present temple is built in Chalukya style and has been constructed in such a manner that there is no land between the temple shore and the South Pole. The summit of the temple rises to a height of 155 feet. There is a Kalash (pot vessel) on the top, which measures 10 tons. The flag mast on the peak is 37 feet long and is changed three times during the day. The construction of the present Somnath temple started in 1950. The jyotirlingam pratishthapan ceremony was done by the first president of India, Dr, Rajendra Prasad. All these facts reveal the majesty of the temple and its importance for the devotees.

 Ramanathaswamy Temple

The Ramanathaswamy Temple is one of the most sacred shrines of the Hindus in India. The Jyotirlingam at the Ramanathaswamy temple is the southernmost of the 12 Jyotirlingams of India. It is considered as holy as Banaras/Kashi. The Ramanathaswamy temple is situated on the Rameshwaram Island, off the Sethu coast of Tamil Nadu. According to legends, this temple is associated with Ramayana and the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana.

The Ramanathaswamy temple is greatly revered, as it is believed that Lord Rama himself built the temple. According to the legends, after killing Ravana Lord Rama returned to India and offered worship to Lord Shiva at Rameshwaram to expiate the sin of killing the demon king. Lord Rama directed Hanuman to bring the lingam from Kailasha within a certain time but Hanuman was delayed and Sita had to prepare one of sand, before the auspicious hour. It is said that this is the same Linga of Sri Ramanatha in the temple.

Shrines at the Ramanathaswamy Temple
In the main sanctum at the temple there is the Linga of Sri Ranganatha. It is the same one, which Lord Rama had sanctified. The Vimana is three storeys tall and contains images of Hanuman, Agastya Linga and the Gandhamadhana Linga. The Linga of Vishvanatha, which is said to be brought by Hanuman, is enshrined in another sanctum to the north. Another shrine houses the image of Visalakshi, the Consort of Visvanatha while Parvathavardhani, the consort of Ramanatha is enshrined in a sanctum to his right.

How to Reach the Ramanathaswamy Temple
Air
The nearest airport is Madurai (167 Km), connected by flights with Bombay, Calicut and Madras.
Rail
Rameshwaram is connected by rail to Chennai, Madurai, Trichy and Coimbatore.
Road
Rameshwaram is connected by regular bus services with Kanykumari, Karaikudi, Chennai, Madurai, Ramanathapuram and several other cities of Tamilnadu and neighboring states

ISKCON Temple

Situated near the magnificent Juhu Beach of Mumbai, the ISKCON Temple sprawls over an area of approximately 4 acres. Also known as the 'Hare Rama Hare Krishna Temple', it is counted amongst the most popular and most-visited temples of the city. Standing tall with all its magnificence, the temples serves as the perfect acknowledgement of the efforts of Srila Prabhupada, towards the propagation of Krishna Consciousness throughout the world. He built this temple at Juhu, when the locality was nothing more than a remote suburb.

Today, the fame of the Iskcon Temple has spread so much that, on an average, it receives approximately three lakh pilgrims on the occasion of Janmashtami celebrations. On a daily basis, the temple receives somewhere around five thousand visitors, whose numbers further increases to over ten thousand on Sundays. Hare Rama Hare Krishna Temple of Bombay serves as the perfect retreat for people, where they come to escape from the hectic and demanding city life.

Dedicated to Lord Krishna, the temple was inaugurated in the year 1978. Its complex comprises of a huge sanctum sanctorum, a modern auditorium, a book publishing house, a restaurant, and a twin towered six-storied guest house for the visitors. One of the best ways to spend time at the ISKCON Temple is to take part in the mediations and chanting of mantras. It will help you in ridding your mind of all the mundane tensions and connecting with the God on a much more spiritual level.

History
The first time Srila Prabhupada saw the land where Hare Rama Hare Krishna Temple is situated was when he was going to Smt. Morarjee's house. During that time, the land was nothing more than a jungle. He liked the land so much that he prayed to God that if ever he would be able to get this land, he would build a beautiful temple there. By God's grace, the same land was offered to International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in the year 1971. Thereafter started the construction of Iskcon Temple and it was inaugurated on 14th January 1978 (the day of Makar Sankranti).

Brahma temple

Lying beyond the Nagaparvat and Anasagar Lake in Pushkar is the Brahma temple of Rajasthan, India. A popular pilgrimage of Hindus, the Brahma temple, Pushkar is the only temple of Lord Brahma in India. The legend is that Lord Brahma performed a Yagna here, along with all the gods and goddesses. It is also believed that a lotus fell from the hands of Lord Brahma and fell in the valley of Pushkar. Immediately after, Sarovar Lake appeared miraculously at that place.

The Brahma temple is constructed of marble, in southern style. Also, the floor of the temple is decorated with a silver turtle. The temple houses a statue of Lord Brahma in a palthi (seated) position. The temple also comprises of an image of Lord Vishnu, life sized dwarpals (door men) and Garuda pillars (a mythical bird, in gold).  

  Lotus Temple Delhi

Lotus Temple is situated 12 km to the southeast of Connaught Place. Architecturally one of the most splendid temples of India, Delhi Lotus Temple is called so because it is built in the shape of a Lotus flower. The temple got completed in the year 1986 and rises to a height of more than 40 m. Located on Bahapur Hills, it is the seventh and the latest Baha'i houses of worship in the world. Bahai Temple of New Delhi is a white marble monument designed like a half-opened lotus.

Twenty-seven giant lotus petals of white marble spring out from nine pools and walkways of the temple. These walkways represent the nine unifying spiritual paths of the Baha'i faith. Exquisitely manicured lawns surround the building of the Lotus Temple. Silence is a prerequisite inside the New Delhi Lotus Temple. Also, one needs to take off the shoes while entering inside. Made up of marble, cement, sand and dolomite, this temple is often equated with the Sydney Opera House. Baha'i Temple in Delhi is often compared to the Sydney Opera House.

There is a simple, but outstanding 34.27 m high central hall in the temple where people sit and meditate. Petal alcoves of the temple are inscribed with stimulating quotes of the Baha'i sacred scriptures. Though the temple belongs to the Baha'i sect, it is open to people of each and every faith. The Baha'i religion, an independent one, places great importance on prayer and meditation as instruments for the progress of the human soul. Committed to the oneness of all religions and mankind, it traces its origins to its prophet Baha'u'llah, born in Persia in the 20th century.

Some Famous National Things

National Flag : The National Flag is the horizontal tricolor of deep saffron (kesaria) at the top, white in the middle, and dark green at the bottom in equal proportion. At the center of the white band is a navy blue wheel, which is a representation of the Ashoka Chakra at Sarnath. Ratio of the width of the flag to its length is 2:3.
Design of the national flag was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on July 22, 1947. Its design is that

National Emblem : The National Emblem of India is derived from the time of the Emperor Ashoka. The emblem is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emancipation to the four quarters of the universe.
There are four lions standing back to back, mounted, on an abacus with the frieze carrying sculptures in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels over a bell-shaped lotus. The wheel appears in relief in the centre of the abacus with a bull on right and a horse on the left and the outlines of the other wheel on extreme right and left. The bell-shaped lotus has been omitted. The words Satyameva Jayate from Mundaka Upanishad meaning. Truth Alone Triumphs inscribed below in Devanagari Script.
National Anthem : The Jana Gana Mana is the national Anthem of India, composed by Rabindranath Tagore. It was officially adopted by the constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem on January 24, 1950. It was first sung on December 27, 1911 at the Calcutta (now Kolkata) session of the Indian National Congress. Playing time of the full version of national anthem is approximately 52 seconds. A short version consisting of the first and the last lines of the stanza (playing time approximately 20 seconds) is also played on certain occasions. The whole song consists of five stanzas.
National Song: Bankim Chandra Chatterji's composed song "Vande Mataram" was adopted as the National Song. It has an equal status with "Jana Gana Mana". It was first sung in the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.


National Animal: Tiger is the National Animal of India. It is symbol of India's wildlife wealth. The magnificent tiger, Panthera tigris, is a striped animal. The combination of grace, strength and agility and enormous power has earned the tiger its pride of place as the national animal of India.

National Bird: The Peacock, Pavo cristatus, is the national bird of India. Emblematic of qualities such as beauty grace, pride. It is a colourful, swan-sized bird, with a fan-shaped crest of feathers, a white patch under the eye and a long, slender neck.


National Sport: Hockey is the national game of India. It is played all across India. Indian Hockey Federation(IHF) was formed on the 7th November, 1925 at Gwalior. In Olympics, India has won the hockey title a maximum of 8 times.


National Fuit: Mango is the national fruit of India. Described as the "Food of the Gods", in the sacred Vedas, the fruit is grown almost in all parts of India.



National Flower: Lotus botanically known as the Nelumbo Nucifera is the national flower of India. It is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of the ancient India and has been auspicious symbol of Indian culture since time immemorial.


National Tree: Banyan Tree is the National Tree of India. This huge tree towers over its neighbours and has the widest reaching roots of all known trees. It is the focal point of village life.


National River: Ganga is the national river of India. It is one of the major river in Indian sub-continent. The Ganges is mentioned in the Rig-Veda, the earliest of the Hindu scriptures. Some of the most important Hindu festivals and religious worship happens on the banks of the Ganga river.



National Calender: National Calender based on Saka Era with worlds "Chaitra Pratipada" as its first month and the first day of a normal year of 365 days was adopted from March 22, 1957 along with Gregorian Calender for the official purposes. Dates of the national calender, 1 'Chaitra' falling on 22 March normally and on 21 March in leap year.
National Days: 26th January (Republic Day)
15th August (Independence Day)
2nd October (Gandhi Jayanti; Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday)



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Nick Name of Indian Places (Famous)

Nick Name	Place
Golden City	Amritsar
Manchester of India	Ahmedabad
City of seven islands	Mumbai
Sorrow of Bengal	Damoda river
Sorrow of Bihar	Kosi River
Blue Mountains	Nilgiri
Queen of Arabian Sear	Kochi
Space City	Bengaluru
Garden City of India	Bengaluru
Silicon valley of India	Bengaluru
Electronic City of India	Bengaluru
Pink City	Jaipur
Gateway of India	Mumbai
Twin City	Hyderabad-Sikandarabad
City of festivals	Mudurai
Deccan Queen	Pune
City of Buildings	Kolkata
Dakshin Ganga	Godavari
Old Ganga	Godavari
Egg bowls of Asia	Andhra Pradesh
Soya region	Madhya Pradesh
Manchester of the South	Coimbator
City of Nawabs	Lucknow
Venice of the east	Kochi
Queen of the Mountains	Mussoorie (Uttarkhand)
Sacred river	Ganga
Hollywood of India	Mumbai
City of Castles	Kolkata
State of five rivers	Punjab
City of weavers	Panipat
City of lakes	Srinagar
Steel city of India	Jamshedpur (called Tatanagar)
City of Temples	Varanasi
Manchester of the north	Kanpur
City of Rallies	New Delhi
Heaven of India	Jammu & Kashmir
Boston of India	Ahmedabad
Garden of spices of India	Kerala
Switzerland of India	Kashmir
Abode of the God	Prayag (Allahabad)
Pittsburg of India	Jamshedpu

Why should we proud to be an Indian (61 Reason)

Why should we proud to be an Indian 

     As a tribute to our nation we present 60 plus facts about our motherland that we should be proud of. So here it goes:

1. Sanskrit is considered as the mother of all higher languages. It is the most precise and therefore suitable language for computer software. (A report in Forbes magazine, July 1987).

2. Although modern images & descriptions of India often show poverty, India was one of the richest countries before British rule in India, i.e. during the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus was attracted by India’s wealth and was looking for a route to India when he discovered America by mistake. India has fed the greed of almost every powerful nation or ruler (that/who looked upon it, during those times) and is poised to be at the top of the world in all aspects.

3. India is the Largest democracy in the world, the 7th largest country in the world AND one of the most ancient and living civilizations (at least 10, 000 years old).

4. Despite the global meltdown that impacted most emerging market economies, India’s GDP growth of 7.45 percent to 11.90 percent for the current year would make the country the second-fastest growing economy of the world.

5. India has the largest number of biomass gasifier systems in the world producing over 656 mega watts (MW) of power; and still has the potential of producing over 30000 mega watts of power.

6. India was the first country to be accorded the status of a Pioneer Investor in 1987 and was allocated an exclusive area in the central Indian Ocean by the UN for exploration and utilisation of resources.

7. Export of cars grew by 57 per cent in 2008-09 at 3.3 lakh units. Two-wheeler exports crossed the million-mark on a growth of 22.5 per cent in 2008-09.

8. India has the maximum number of post offices in the world!

9. India signed a ground breaking civil nuclear deal with US in 2008 thus facilitating fuel supply for its nuclear reactors. The deal offers potential for a paradigm shift in India’s global role. The importance of the deal does not lie merely in the transfer of nuclear energy. Its importance is psychological. It opens the door to a new era of trust and cooperation between India and the US.

10. India has the largest number of news channel in the world. It is the fastest growing telecom market in the world and has the lowest call rates on earth.

11. India is the 3rd largest producer of solar photovoltaic cells in the world producing 2.12 MW of power. India is the world’s 4th largest wind power user.

12. India is the 9th largest solar thermal power generating country in terms of million units per sq. m. It will have 20 million solar lights installed by 2022 which will save 1 billion litres of kerosene every year.

13. India has jumped five places to become the world’s 11th biggest exporter of commercial services in 2005, and inched one step ahead to the 29th rank among the largest merchandise exporters, according to the latest statistics by World Trade Organisation.

14. The Indian Software Industry has grown from a mere US $ 150 million in 1991-92 to a staggering US $ 5.7 billion in 1999-2000. No other Indian industry has performed so well against the global competition.

15. India is the world’s largest, oldest, continuous civilization.

16. India never invaded any country in her last 10,000 years of history.

17. IEEE has proved what has been a century old suspicion in the world scientific community that the pioneer of wireless communication was Prof. Jagdish Bose and not Marconi.

18. India has the second largest pool of Scientists and Engineers in the World.

19. India is the second largest English speaking nation in the world.

20. India is the only country other than the USA and Japan, to have built a super computer indigenously.

21. GM of Hewlett Packard, Chief Executives of CitiBank, Mckinsey & Stanchart, founder and creator of Hotmail, creator of Pentium chip are all Indians.

22. On 28 April 2008, a world record was set when India’s Polar rocket successfully placed ten satellites, including the country’s remote sensing satellite, into orbit in a single mission.

23. India is the world’s second largest producer of small cars. It is the largest newspaper market in the world.

24. World’s largest electronic ID program is underway in India.

25. Bollywood with about 400 films every year is the largest centre of film production in the world.

26. India is the largest producer of milk, cashew nuts, coconuts, tea, ginger, turmeric and black pepper, in the world. It also has the world’s largest cattle population (281 million). It is the second largest producer of wheat, rice, sugar, groundnut and inland fish.

27. The National Rural Employment Guarantee Act or NREGA, an Indian job guarantee scheme, enacted by legislation on August 25, 2005 is the largest ever – public employment programme visualized in human history.

28. The Mid-day Meal Scheme is the popular name for school meal programme in India, is the largest school lunch programme in the world, covering 12 million children.

29. Board of Control for Cricket in India, or BCCI, is the apex governing body for cricket in India is the richest body in world cricket.

30. The largest employer in the world is the Indian railway system, employing over a million people!

31. Until 1896, India was the only source for diamonds to the world. (Source: Gemological Institute of America )

32. The World’s first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects.

33. Indians abroad

* 38% of Doctors in America are Indians.

* 12% of Scientists in America are Indians.

* 36% of NASA employees are Indians.

* 34% of Microsoft employees are Indians.

* 28% of IBM employees are Indians.

* 17% of Intel employees are Indians.

* 13% of Xerox employees are Indians.

34. Varanasi, also known as Benares, was called “the ancient city” when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C.E, and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today.

35. Jaipur (India) hosts the world’s widest concrete building. It has a reinforced concrete cement (RCC) flat roof with a single span of 119 feet.

36. By volume of pills produced, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is the world’s second largest after China.

37. ISRO has tested the third biggest solid rocket motot in the world after booster rocket of NASA’s space shuttle and Arianespace’s Ariane-5 launch vehicle.

38. A mass singalong of 160,000 people in the Indian city of Hyderabad, in Andhra Pradesh, has broken a 72-year-old record for the world’s largest choir.

39. India is the most attractive stock market in terms of asset allocation.

40. Indian banks are among top 500 financial brands.

41. India born steel czar Lakshmi Mittal and Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani figure in the forbes list of “World’s most powerful billionares” who wield staggering authority and influence far beyond their riches.

42. The Indian media and entertainment business that grew 15 percent anually since 2006 into a $11.68 billion industry in 2008 is seen to toop $21 billion over the next five years.

43. United Nations Industrial Development Organisation found that India ranks among the top 12 producers of manufacturing value-added(MVA) .

44. Indian American Prof. Praveen Jain of Queens University is heading the project to make CFL’s more efficient.

45. The TATA group, State Bank of India and Infosys Technologies are among 17 Indian firms that figure among the top 50 in the list of the world’s 200 most-reputed companies.

46. India’s contribution to scientific research and innovation has been constantly rising since 2000 according to a study. The number of articles published in global science journals by Indians has increased from around 17000 in 2001 to more than 27000 in 2007.

47. India is to be the first international customer of the Boeing P-81 Poseidon variant of the P-8A Poseidon.

48. Exports from SEZ’s in India have increased by over 25% in the 3 months ended June 2009:a very positive indicator.

49. India has been ranked the second most-optimistic nation in the world in consumer confidence, according to a survey by global consultancy firm, Nielson.

50. Indian origin 96-year old, Randall Butisingh, now a Florida resident is the world’s oldest blogger (age). He runs a popular blog http://randallbutisingh.wordpress.com

51. Pepsico, the $43-billion beverages and snacks company, had its annual global meet in India for the first time, in 2009.This was the second time this meeting was held outside US. Last time it was in Mexico.

52. To ensure timely payment of wages to workers under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), more than two crores worth of saving bank accounts have been opened in banks and post offices across the country. This is the largest number of bank accounts linked to a development programme across the globe.

53. Volunteers in Dungarpur, India planted 600,000 trees in 24 hours under the guidance of Indian Forestry Service which is a world record.

54. Reliance Group of Companies in India has the maximum number of shareholders in the world.

55. State Bank of India has the maximum number of branches in the world.

56. Dr M.C. Modi holds the world record for performing maximum eye operations @ 40 operations per hour.

57. With 1,300.000 active personnel and 1,800,000 reserve ones, the Indian Army is the world’s second largest army in terms of military personnel, and the largest in terms of active manpower.

58. The largest reflecting telescope of Asia is in Kavalur Observatory (India).It is an indigenously built 93 inch telescope.

59. The economy of India is the twelfth largest economy in the world by nominal value and the fourth largest by purchasing power parity (PPP).It is the world’s second-fastest growing major economy.

60. Apart from these quantitative figures, qualitatively India has been the world leader in culture, ethics, religion, humanity since the very inception of humanity on earth. World is slowly realising the importance of these values.

61. India has the second largest network of paved highways, after the U.S.

Heritage Spot of INDIA

Taj Mahal

      The historic city of Agra offers tourists a wonderful tourism experience with some of the best known monuments of India. The chief claim to fame of the city is for being the capital of Mughul India for more than a century. The Mughuls consolidated their hold on India from here and as their might grew, they patronized some of the most fascinating works of architecture that the world has seen. The Taj Mahal is the crowning glory of the Mughul era. It represents the supreme achievements of the architects and masons of medieval India. The unmatched splendor of the Taj Mahal still attracts scores of tourists every single day from all over the world. The Taj Mahal tours are the perfect options for exploring the tourist attractions in Agra. Before visiting Agra and its many wonders, learn more about Taj Mahal tours in touristplacesinindia.com.

      The Taj Mahal tours systematically cover all the monuments in Agra, as well as the other important tourist destinations located near the city. The massive Agra fort and Fatehpur Sikri are among the foremost highlights of tourism in north India and must be visited during a tour of Agra. The Agra fort was the center of Mughul imperialism in India and remained the symbol of Mughul might till the mid 17th century when the capital was shifted to Delhi by Shahjahan. The fort has many magnificent buildings, structures and gardens, including the Moti Masjid ( mosque), Angina masjid, Jahangiri Mahal, Diwan i Aam, Diwaan i Khas, Macchi bhawan, Daulat Khana i Khas, Khas Mahal, Shish Mahal, Anguri Bagh, and the imposing gateways. The fort also offers a splendid, although somewhat tragic view of the Taj Mahal some distance away along the banks of the river Yamuna. It is said that the old emperor Shahjahan, imprisoned in his own fort by his son Aurangzeb, spent his last few days gazing at the magnificent mausoleum he had built for his beloved wife.
          The fortified palace of Akbar at Fatehpur Sikri, located 37 kilometers west of Agra is also a must visit site. This magnificent palace combines strong defensive features with delicate architecture. The beautiful red sandstone buildings stand alongside the village of Sikri. Apart from the palace and its splendid structures, the tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti and the massive gateway named Buland Darwaza are the chief attractions at Fatehpur Sikri.
       The Taj Mahal is of course the most important stop of all the tours. This massive marble monument needs no introduction. It is one of the most visited monuments of the world. The fifth Mughul emperor built his beloved wife this stupendous mausoleum, as per her dying wish that her tomb should be unlike anything that the world had ever seen. The magnificence of the Taj Mahal cannot be described in words. You have to visit it at least once as something remains unfulfilled in your life if you do not.
The other attractions of Agra include some lesser known tombs which are well worthy of a visit. The Chini ka rauza and the tomb of Itimad-ud daulat are the chief among these. Various Mughul gardens, including the Arambagh, whose origins go back to the reign of Babur, are also part of tourism in Agra.
Before choosing your itinerary, find out more about Taj Mahal tours so that you are well prepared when you land up in Agra.

Humayu Tomb:

      Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi, the first tomb built with several innovations, set at the centre of luxurious gardens with water channels, was the precursor monument to the Taj Mahal (built a century later). It was built in 1570 and was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Monument in 1993 for its cultural importance. It was built in 1569–1570 by the second Mughal Emperor Humayun’s widow Biga Begum (Hajji Begum). Its architecture is credited to Mirza Ghiyath and its Mughal architectural style has been acclaimed as the “necropolis of the Mughal dynasty” for its double domed elevation provided with Chhatris. Apart from the tomb of Humayun, the funerary also has 150 tombs of various members of the royal family. The tomb is built with a char-bagh (fourfold) layout with two gates, one on the south and the other on the west. It has a number of water channels, a pavilion and a bath. The tomb set on an irregular octagonal plinth has a raised dome of 42.5 m height, covered by marble slabs and decorated with chhatris.

Golden Temple :

 Sri Harimandir Sahib (The "Golden Temple") in Amritsar, Punjab, is the holiest shrine in Sikhism

This temple made by pure GOLD.

Ajanta Caves:

  Ajanta Caves listed under UNESCO World Heritage as a cultural heritage site, are Buddhist caves that were built in two phases, the first phase was from 2nd century BC. In the second phase, further additions were made during the 5th and 6th centuries AD of the Gupta period. The caves depict richly decorated paintings, frescoes, which are reminiscent of the Sigiriya paintings in Sri Lanka and sculptures. As a whole, there are31rock-cut cave monuments which are unique representations of the religious art of Buddhism

Fatehpur Sikri, Uttar Pradesh :

Fatehpur Sikri, "the City of Victory," was built during the second half of the 16th century by the Mughal Emperor Akbar (1556–1605). It was the capital of the Empire and seat of the grand Mughal court, but only for 14 years. Despite bearing exceptional testimony to the Mughal civilization at the end of the 16th century, it had to be abandoned due to the twin reasons of lack of water and unrest in north-west India, leading the Emperor to shift the capital to Lahore. Akbar decided to construct it in 1571, on the same site where the birth of his son, the future Emperor Jahangir, was predicted by the wise saint Shaikh Salim Chisti (1480–1572). The work, supervised by the great Mughal himself, was completed in 1573. The complex of monuments and temples, all uniformly in Mughal architectural style, includes one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid, the Buland Darwaza, the Panch Mahal, and the Tomb of Salim Chishti. The English traveller Ralph Fitch considered the city in 1585 as 'considerably larger than London and more populous.' Its form and layout strongly influenced the evolution of Indian town planning, notably at Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi). The city has numerous other palaces, public buildings and mosques, as well as living areas for the court, the army, servants of the king and for an entire population whose history has not been recorded

  Jantar Mantar, Jaipur :

      
      The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja (King) Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734. It is modelled after the one that he had built at the Mughal capital of Delhi. He had constructed a total of five such facilities at different locations, including the ones at Delhi and Jaipur. The Jaipur observatory is the largest and best preserved of these and has a set of some 20 main fixed instruments built in masonry. It has been inscribed as cultural property on the UNESCO World Heritage List as "an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period.

  Sun Temple, Konârak:

 

     Konark Sun Temple is a 13th-century Sun Temple (also known as the "Black Pagoda"), at Konark, in Orissa. Located on the east coast of the Bay of Bengal in the Mahanadi Delta, it is built in the form of the chariot of Surya (Arka), the sun god with 24 wheels, and is heavily decorated with symbolic stone carvings and led by a team of six horses. It was constructed from oxidizing weathered ferruginous sandstone by King Narasimhadeva I of the Eastern Ganga Dynasty. The temple is one of the most renowned temples in India and is a World Heritage Site inscribed in 1984 as cultural property under categories (i), (iii) and (vi)

Elephanta Caves 

      The Elephanta Caves are a network of sculpted caves located on Elephanta Island, or Gharapuri (literally "the city of caves") in Mumbai Harbour, 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the east of the city of Mumbai. The island, located on an arm of the Arabian Sea, consists of two groups of caves — the first is a large group of five Hindu caves, the second, a smaller group of two Buddhist caves. The Hindu caves contain rock cut stone sculptures, representing the Shaiva Hindu sect, dedicated to the god Shiva. The rock-cut architecture of the caves is dated to between the 5th and 8th centuries, although the identity of the original builders is still a subject of debate. The caves are hewn from solid basalt rock. Renovated in the 1970s, the caves were designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 to preserve the artwork 

 Red Fort Complex New Delhi :

     Red Fort Complex, also known as Lal Qila is a palace fort built in the 17th century by Shahjahan (1628–58), the fifth Mughal Emperor as part of his new capital city of Shahjahanabad. located to the north of Delhi. It represents the glory of the Mughal rule and is considered the Highpoint of Mughal architectural, artistic aesthetic creativity. The architectural design of the structures built within the fort represents a blend of Persian, Timuri and Indian architectural styles; Isfahan, the Persian Capital is said to have provided the inspiration to build the Red Fort Complex. The planning and design of this complex, in a geometrical grid plan with pavilion structures, was the precursor of several monuments which were built later in Rajasthan, Delhi, Agra and other places. The palace complex has been fortified by an enclosure wall built with red sand stone (hence the name Red Fort). It is adjacent to the Salimgarh Fort on its north built by Islam Shah Suri in 1546 and is now part of the Red Fort Complex (area covered 120 acres) under the revised inscription of the UNESCO World Heritage List under categories (i),(ii), (iii) and (vi)}}. Built between 1639 and 1648, enclosing an area of size 656 metres (2,152 ft)x328 metres (1,076 ft) and raising to a height of 23 metres (75 ft) on the right bank of the Yamuna River, it is linked to the Salimgarh Fort through a bridge over an old river channel, now a city road. The palace within the fort complex, located behind the Diwan-i-Am (Hall of Public Audience), comprises a series of richly engraved marble palace pavilions, interconnected by water channels called the ‘Nehr-i-Behishit’ meaning the “Stream of Paradise”, the Diwane-i-khas (Private audience hall), several other essential private structures, and also the Moti Masjid (Pearl Mosque built by Emperor Aurangzeb) 

             There are many more Heritage Spot in India :-