India
India
- Capital
- New Delhi
- Population
- 1,380,004,385
- Region
- Asia
- Languages
- Hindi, English
The village of Mawsynram in Meghalaya holds the world record for the highest average annual rainfall, receiving over 11,000 millimeters of rain each year. This unique climate creates 'living root bridges' where locals train the roots of rubber trees to grow into sturdy natural walkways across turbulent rivers. These bio-engineered structures can take fifteen years to become functional but last for centuries, growing stronger as they age. This practice represents a rare and sustainable harmony between human engineering and the surrounding rainforest ecosystem.
Currency
The official currency is the Indian Rupee, identified by the ISO code INR. The modern symbol '₹' was officially adopted in 2010 to blend the Devanagari letter 'Ra' with the Latin letter 'R'. Historically, India was one of the earliest issuers of coinage in the world, dating back to the 6th century BCE.
Flag symbolism
The Indian National Flag, known as the Tiranga, features three horizontal bands of saffron, white, and green. Saffron represents courage and sacrifice, while white symbolizes peace and truth, and green signifies fertility and growth. Centered in the white band is the Ashoka Chakra, a 24-spoked navy blue wheel that represents the wheel of the law of dharma. It signifies that there is life in movement and death in stagnation, emphasizing constant dynamic change for the nation.
Emblem history
The State Emblem of India is an adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which dates back to 250 BCE at Sarnath. It features four Asiatic lions standing back-to-back, symbolizing power, courage, pride, and confidence, mounted on a circular abacus. Below the lions are a bull representing steadfastness and a horse representing speed and energy, separated by Dharma Chakras. The motto 'Satyameva Jayate' is inscribed below the emblem in Devanagari script, which translates to 'Truth Alone Triumphs' from the ancient Upanishads.