General
Bollywood is the only film industry in India
Myth
The film industry is huge in India. Each language has its own "wood." For example, Hindi has Bollywood, Tamil has Kollywood, and so on.
Cows are sacred in India
Truth
In India, cows are associated with many deities and represent life, wealth, and prosperity.
India shares borders with six countries
Truth
Pakistan and Afghanistan in the northwest, China , Nepal, and Bhutan in the North and Myanmar and Bangladesh in the east
India was colonized by the British for over 200 years.
Truth
Fact: The last ruler of India before India gained independence was King George VI.
The Vijayanagara Empire, based in South India, was one of the greatest Hindu empires
Truth
The Vijayanagara Empire covered a large area in southern India, including parts of modernday Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, and some parts of Telangana, Maharashtra, and Sri Lanka.
Lentils are sparsely used in Indian cooking
Myth
Similar to Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine, the Indian cuisine uses lentils in batters, and general standalone dishes.
India has no official language
Myth
India has 2 official languages, Hindi and English.
All Indian festivals and holidays are religious
Myth
Festivals like Holi ( festivals of colors) and Pongal/Lohri (Harvest festival) are seasonal festivals.
India is a peninsula
Truth
Most of India is a peninsula.
The partition of India in 1947 led to the creation of Bangladesh.
Myth
It led to the creation of Pakistan; Bangladesh became independent from Pakistan in 1971.
The Pallavas built the famous rockcut temples of Mahabalipuram
Truth
Pallavas who preceded the cholas are one of the most coveted dynasties in southern india. The Pallavas are credited with transitioning South India from rockcut architecture to stone temples.
For more info, watch this video about the Pallava dynasty.
Saffron is a commonly used spice in Indian cuisine
Truth
Similar to Iranian and mediterranean cusinine, saffron is used exteensively in Indian cusine
The Indian flag has only 2 colors
Myth
The Indian flag has 3 colors: orange, green, and white.
Touching the feet of elders is a sign of respect in India
Truth
In India, touching the feet of your elders is a way to respect them and to ask for blessings from them.
Mount Everest is in India.
Myth
Mount Everest is in Nepal, which shares a border with India.
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 is also known as the First War of Independence.
Truth
Although India gained independence from Britain in 1947, the rebellion started in 1857.
The Marathas controlled a vast empire in South India during the 18th century
Myth
The Maratha Empire was primarily based in western and central India.he Maratha Empire was known for its use of guerrilla warfare, a type of warfare that involves quick, surprise attacks.Chattrapati Shivaji Maharaj was a valiant king that specializes in Guerilla warfare.
Indian food is always spicy
Myth
Not all Indian food is spicy. There are some mild dishes as well, such as malai kofta, palak (or saag) paneer, and vegetable biriyani.
India has multiple time zones.
Myth
India has only one time zone.
In India, it is common to eat with your hands rather than utensils.
Truth
Indian foods are so diverse in form and structure that no group of metallic devices would really do the complete job. You need to use all the dexterity of your fingers to manage the food. Foods such as papad, naan, roti, or dosa would be hard to eat with spoons, forks, or knives.
India has both deserts and rainforests.
Truth
A few notable ones are the Thar Desert, the Himalayan rainforests, and the Sundarbans.
Thar desert is the world largest inhabited desert.
Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian to win the Nobel Prize in Physics.
Myth
He won the Nobel Prize in Literature.Also known as the Bard of Bengal, his poetry features themes of love, nature, and the struggle between spiritual and earthly desires:
The Gupta Empire, based in North India, is considered the Golden Age of India
Truth
This period was marked by many scientific, technological, and artistic discoveries, as well as a flourishing of the arts and culture
Roti and Dosa are the same thing
Myth
Roti is a flatbread which can be made with flours and millets , while Dosa is a type of pancake from South India made with lentils and rice.
India has a national sport
Myth
Contrary to popular belief, India does not have a national sport. However, people regard field hockey to be India's national sport.
The Ganges River is considered holy in India.
Truth
Cool fact: over 20 million people make pilgrimages to the Ganges river.
India is in the Southern Hemisphere
Myth
India is in the Northern Hemisphere.
Jawaharlal Nehru was the first Prime Minister of India.
Truth
Cool fact: His younger sister, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, was an influential figure in the fight for independence.
The Chola Empire, based in South India, was one of the longest ruling dynasties in Indian history
Truth
The Chola dynasty lasted for over 1,500 years, making it one of the longest-ruling dynasties in India.
The Chola dynasty made significant contributions to Indian history, including:
Architecture: The Cholas built many temples, including the Brihadisvara temple in Thanjavur, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Art: The Cholas were patrons of art, and pioneered the lost wax process for casting bronze sculptures of Hindu deities.
Literature: The Cholas supported Tamil literature.
Administration: The Cholas established a centralized government and bureaucracy, and organized irrigation and rural self-government.
Indian curries always use coconut milk
Myth
Coconut milk is common in South Indian curries but not all.
India is the birthplace of the game of chess
Truth
Chess originated in the Gupta Empire. The earliest known precursor to modern chess is Chaturanga, a Sanskrit word that translates to "the four divisions"
In Indian weddings, the bride traditionally wears red
Myth
In certain parts of India , red is a color typically worn by the bride but every state of india has their own culture and it is not mandatory to the color of the attire of the bride be red
India is the largest country in the world by area
Myth
India is the 7th largest.
India was only colonized by Great Britain
Myth
India was also colonized by the french and portugese
Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world
Truth
It is also one of the most sacred places in India.Varanasi is over 3,000 years old, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. It is often referred to as Kashi, meaning ``City of Light.''
Vindaloo is a dish with Portuguese roots, adapted in India
Truth
The word “vindaloo” is derived from the Portuguese word “vinho de alho,” which means “wine and garlic.” The dish is a result of the cultural fusion between Portuguese and Indian cuisine, where the Portuguese brought in their wine, vinegar, and garlic, while the Indian spices and chili peppers were added to the mix.
India has never won an Olympic gold medal
Myth
India has won several Olympic gold medals, particularly in field hockey.
The decimal system was developed in India
Truth
In addition to the decimal system , ancient India made significant contributions to mathematics study such as Trigonometry, Algebra and negative numbers.
India has the highest number of post offices in the world
Truth
With 164,972 post offices (as of March 2024), India Post is the widest postal network in the world. The country has been divided into 23 postal circles, each circle headed by a Chief Postmaster General.
The national animal of India is the lion
Myth
The national animal is Bengal Tiger
The city of Jaipur is known as the Blue City
Myth
Jaipur is known as the Pink City; Jodhpur is the Blue City. However, both cities are equally beautiful with palaces, forts and lakes .
West Bengal is famous for its desserts
Truth
The state of West Bengal is known for their exquisite milk based desserts