[custom_adv] 16 adornments of a married woman Only after getting married do women use their 16 adornments, called Sola Shringar. Among these are the Bindi, the colored dot placed on the middle of the forehead and the Nath, or nose piercing. [custom_adv] The largest film industry in the world Bollywood, is the Indian Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai and it produced 1,813 films in 2018 alone. By 2012 it had far surpassed those produced by Hollywood. The term “Bollywood” derives from the merger of 2 other famous names, Bombay and Hollywood. [custom_adv] The third sex, the Hijras In India, the term Hijra is used to refer to those people who consider themselves transgender or transsexual. Hijras have a history recorded on the Indian subcontinent since ancient times, as suggested also by the Kāma Sūtra. In April 2014, India’s Supreme Court recognized transgender people as a ’third sex’ in a special law also regarding passports and other official documents. [custom_adv] 330 million gods In India, 80% of the population is Hindu. Hinduism counts 330 million gods, some unknown by the Hindus themselves, but who are venerated the same without knowing their names. The most revered are the Trimurti, better known as the Hindu Trinity: Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. Among these gods, they all have exactly the same level of importance. [custom_adv] Wedding rings on the feet In Tamil Nadu, the wedding ring is placed on the “index” toe of the foot. The 2 silver rings, placed by the groom on the feet of his beloved, would be able, according to tradition, to inspire a healthy pregnancy. Gold rings have to be avoided in this instance, since gold for Hindus is the symbol of the goddess of abundance: Lakshmi. Putting it on the feet, which are considered to be the most humble part of the body, could be seen as outrageous. [custom_adv] Men holding hands in public In India it is common to see men holding hands in the streets. In some countries this might be seen as a sign of a particular sexual orientation, but in India it is only a demonstration of affection between 2 true friends. On that same note, it is really rare to see signs of affection between a man and a woman. It’s frowned upon for them to kiss in public. [custom_adv] Bull surfing Bull surfing is a harvest sport race that takes place in the village of Anandapally, in southern Kerala, during the post-harvest season. A pair of yoked bulls are used to plow a rice field the size of a football field, in water that is ankle-deep, while their handlers surf a wooden plank and hang on to the bulls’ tails or onto their harnesses. [custom_adv] The largest consumption of gold per year India is among the largest consumers of gold in the world. Indian demand has averaged 838 tons per year over the last 10 years. In 2018, 760.4 tons of gold were consumed, most of which were used for jewelry making for marriages and festivals. [custom_adv] A pilgrimage of 130 million people The Kumbh Mela, a Hindu pilgrimage that is repeated every 12 years, is the largest human gathering in the world, and it’s also visible from space. This year the Kumbh Mela was held in Ardh of Allahabad from January 15th to March 4th 2019 and is estimated to have seen the participation of 130 million people.
