STORY TRIVIA With its name derived from the River Indus, which flows across the valleys where its early settlers thrived, India has the world’s largest and o l d e s t co nt i n u o u s civilisation. Sanskrit, an ancient language used by Indians, is the mother of all European l a n g u a g e s. I n d i a’s intricate civilisation also created the number system, and is also the world’s largest democracy. Here are a few other quirky facts about this vibrant and colourful nation:
Cows wander freely in India *because they are considered
sacred, and often wear an ornament that symbolises good fortune. Cows in India are considered as one of man’s seven mothers, since they provide milk. Contrary to popular belief, *mar tial ar ts was ac tually
India has the world’s largest movie *industry, situated in the city of Mumbai.
invented in India. It later spread to Asia by nomadic Buddhist missionaries.
Almost all Indian movies are musicals.
to take Indian rupees *outItofistheillegal country. India is the birthplace of *chess, whose original word in Sanskrit was chaturanga, which means ‘four members of an army’ referring to elephants, horses, chariots and foot soldiers.
The Bengal tiger is India’s *animal. Sadly less than 4,000 remain now due to poaching. 22
national of them