Yes, you read that correctly. Bacteriophage bacteria can be found in the holy river Ganga. It infects and kills other harmful bacteria that have infiltrated the river. That is why, even if stored for an extended period of time, river Ganga water does not spoil. According to D.S. Bhargava, an environmental engineer at the University of Roorkee, the Ganga is the only river in the world that decomposes organic wastes 15 to 20 times faster than any other river.

These are known as Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, Palace on Wheels (Rajasthan), The Golden Chariot (Karnataka and Goa), The Maharajas' Express (which begins in Delhi but has a different route), and The Deccan Odyssey (which begins in Delhi but has a different schedule) (begins in Maharashtra but itinerary differs). They are the pride of Indian Railways, holding a prominent position among the world's luxury trains. The oldest of them is Palace on Wheels.

In the 1980s, when Bollywood was booming, our very own Big B took on the role of masked superhero Supremo in a comic book. Under Amitabh Bachchan's feet, a trapdoor opens. He falls into a hole, where walls with enormous metal spikes close in on him. With only seconds remaining, he karate chops a wooden door and utilizes one of its planks to pull himself cleanly out of danger. It astounds me that our Indian comics have such a long and intriguing history.

Tamil Nadu has over 30,000 Hindu temples, many of which are centuries old. One of the most well-known is the vibrant Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple. Visitors flock to temple towns such as Madurai and Kanchipuram all year.

The previous King of Jaipur, Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh II, entered the Guinness Book of World Records when he had two gigantic sterling silver containers, the biggest in the world, made to transport 'Ganga Jal on his journeys to England. 14,000 silver coins were melted to construct these massive jars. These "Gangajalis" are still on display at the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum and are a big draw for visitors.

Hinduism is considered the world's oldest religion, with texts going back to 5,500 BCE. There is no recognised creator of Hinduism, and no one cares who founded it because Hinduism is a way of life. Hinduism is currently the world's third biggest religion, with over 1 billion adherents. Hinduism is not a monotheistic religion when it comes to gods. Hindus worship one deity, Brahma, who manifests himself as hundreds of different gods. It is up to each Hindu to choose whatever deity he or she want to worship. Another interesting fact about Hinduism is that the number 108 is considered to be the most holy number among Hindus.

These ancient and one-of-a-kind temples are decorated with intricate erotic and sensual carvings. The sculptures reflect the time's open, progressive, and artistic heritage. These structures are architectural marvels and works of art.

What we do know is that the Taj Mahal's name is derived from Persian, the language of the Mughal court. The word Taj means "crown," and the word Mahal means "palace." As a result, the name "Taj Mahal" can be translated as "Crown Palace" or "Palace of the Crown."

The names 'Andaman' and 'Nicobar' are derived from Malay. The name Andaman is thought to be derived from Hanuman, also known as Handyman by the Malays. The name Nicobar appears to be a corruption of the South Indian term 'Nakkavaram' (Land of the Naked), which is mentioned in the great Tanjore inscription of AD 1050.

Social media and digital consumption have grown so pervasive in most areas of the world that it's easy to forget that reading is still a major form of pleasure for some individuals. A 2017 survey found that the average Indian spends 10 hours and 42 minutes per week reading. In comparison, Americans work five hours and 42 minutes each week. Thailand, China, the Philippines, and Egypt round out the top five nations.

The rule book was handwritten in a flowing italics style by calligrapher Prem Behari Narain Raizada, rather than printed or typed. Jawaharlal Nehru asked Raizada, a calligrapher from a family of calligraphers, to write the first copy of the document. When asked how much he would charge, he only had one request: he wanted to sign every page and the final page with his grandfather.

The Hindu deity Lord Jagannath inspired the English word Juggernaut, which means "huge or powerful." Every year, a cart festival known as The Holy Rath Yatra is held in Puri, Odisha. The carts used for Lord Jagannath, his brother Lord Balavadra, and his sister Goddess Suvadra are enormous, and devotees would crush themselves under the wheels of the carts in order to achieve salvation. That is where the term originated.

Hinduism, or Hindu dharma as it is known in India, is not the official name of this religion. Santana Dharma, which means the Eternal Way of Salvation, is its full name. Hindu or Indu is derived from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, which means a large body of water or a river. The Greeks referred to the people who lived along the Indus River as Hindus.

Every 12 years, the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu spiritual gathering, is held on the banks of the Holy River Ganga. Millions of people flock to the holy river to bathe. The crowds are so large that they can be seen from space, and on February 10, 2013, more than 30 million people gathered in a single day! UNESCO has also designated it as a cultural heritage site.

Right now, India may not have such a name in the world of Polo, but it all began in our city. The British established the world's first Polo club in Calcutta in 1858. Since then, there have been numerous competitions and the arrival of Europeans to further popularise the sport. This sport was particularly popular among Bengal's royals and Nawabs.

With the agility and power Lord Hanuman has, it is difficult to believe that the Lord was a Yogi. Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) was invented by him as a manner of welcoming his instructor, Surya Devta. And the Lord was the first to teach humans Pranayama.

Babur Introduced Gunpowder to India. After defeating Ibrahim Lodhi in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, Babur established the Mughal empire. Historians believe he brought gunpowder to India and used it extensively during wars.

Malas, or prayer bead garlands, are made up of 108 beads strung together. Vedic mathematicians saw this number as a completeness of existence, connecting the Sun, Moon, and Earth. For Hindus, the number 108 has long been considered sacred.

The first bus service in India was established on July 15, 1926. The initial route connected Afghan Church and Crawford Market.

The song was officially declared the 'National Anthem of India' by the Constituent Assembly of India on January 24, 1950, in its Hindi version. Rabindranath Tagore, a Nobel Laureate, penned India's National Anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana.' On January 24, 1950, it was proclaimed the Indian National Anthem. It is one among India's national symbols.

Barren Island is the only active volcano in South Asia, not just India. This small 3-km-wide island, located approximately 135 km northeast of Port Blair, contains a 1.6-km-wide crater partially filled by a cinder cone that has been the source of eruptions since the first was recorded in 1787.

The Kohinoor Diamond was discovered in the royal jeweled Mughal Peacock Throne, where the emperor sat. The great jewel stolen from India is now kept in the Tower of London.

In India, there are more vegetarian options and consumables influenced by Indian food on the McDonald's menu. The Veg Pizza McPuff, Maharaja Mac (select veg or chicken), McAloo Tikki (potato patty), McSpicy Paneer (cheese patty), and Masala Grill Veg are some of the distinctive Indian McDonald's options.

The Vedas are a collection of ancient Indian texts. They were written in Sanskrit between 1700 and 1100 BCE, making them the world's oldest religious texts. They wielded considerable power over Hinduism and Indians. Rig Ved, Sama Ved, Yajur Ved, and Atharva Ved are the four Vedas. Because knowledge of the Vedas was passed down orally from generation to generation thousands of years ago, they are also known as 'Sruti.'