9 Facts About Indian History That Even the Most Educated Can Ignore

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

O awesome.club invites you to embark on a journey into the past to witness some of the most fascinating episodes in the history of this country.

If you think that 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, there lived a prominent physician named Sushruta. He is considered one of the fathers of surgery and for good reason.

Your book Sushruta Samhita it is a true gem 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 the surgical reconstruction of the nose.

Until the beginning of the 18th century, India was the only source of diamonds in the world, maintaining a monopoly for almost a thousand years. According to the Gemological Institute of America, these gemstones 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 wasn’t a problem, as demand was limited: only the richest could afford to buy diamonds, including European royalty such as Empress Catherine II of Russia. Since then, countries such as Botswana and the Democratic Republic of Congo have taken the lead in diamond production.

Civilized urban life as we know it today emerged 5,000 years ago in India. There was no Wi-Fi, of course, but the Indus Valley culture was one of the most advanced in the ancient world. The Encyclopedia of Ancient History explains that by 2600 BC, dozens of developed towns and cities belonged to this civilization.

Houses had bathrooms 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 these ancient texts hide, right?

During the Vedic period, between 1500 and 500 BC, Indian society was probably the most egalitarian in the world at the time. Although the society was patriarchal, women were highly respected, could become wise and seers, received education like 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 no arranged marriages either, that was a later invention.

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

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

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

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 his name was Ariabata (Aryabhatiyae). He wrote a treatise on astronomy, which became the basis of many later studies.

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

The great grandfather of chess was invented in India. It was called “Chaturanga” and appeared around the 6th century AD. No one 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 Ladders”. 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 vice, in the form of snakes, and about virtues, using the stairs.

In the age of dinosaurs, over 100 million years ago, India was an island. It had broken away from a supercontinent and was traveling slowly northwards, reaching its present location some 50 million years later.

The gigantic 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 slowly advance north, making Everest grow bigger and bigger.

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