India is one of the most interesting countries that you can visit whether you are into history, culture, food, nature, or looking for something spiritual. No matter what part of India you are heading for, you are bound to be entertained.
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There are a lot of things to see in India. To get you started, here is a list of some of the most interesting, bizarre, and even the most expensive things that you can encounter only in India. Some of these may not even be in the usual tour books!
The Lake Palace
The Jag Niwas, or the Lake Palace, has been around since the 1740s. It is constructed in the center of Lake Pichola and its foundation spans four acres. The white palace looks like it comes out of a fairy tale.
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The walls are constructed of marble. There are fountains, gardens, and pillared terraces inside it. Famous guests that have stayed in its premises include Queen Elizabeth II, Jackie Kennedy, and the King of Nepal.
Gold face mask
When 2020 hit, the world was battling out a new virus they knew little about. The COVID-19 pandemic got everyone wearing face masks for health and safety reasons. And in India, the most expensive facemask can be found in the city of Prune.
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Businessman Shankar Kurhade hired a craftsman to make him a face mask with two ounces of gold. It is rumored to cost around $4,000. The mask has small pores in it so he is still able to breathe well beneath it.
Human brain museum
India has a whole museum dedicated to the human brain. The National Institute of Mental Health and Science (NIMHANS) Brain Museum can be found in Bengaluru and is considered to be a unique treasure trove.
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A visit here will probably give you your only chance to touch and feel an actual human brain. If you are tired of all the brain specimens, they also have other organs housed in the museum. You have to be at least in the 8th grade to be able to enter this museum.
Red rain
Kerala is known to have one of the most beautiful beaches in India. But did you know that the southwestern district is also known for its red rains? For the last two hundred years, red rains have happened randomly.
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There is a Hindu belief that when the sky rains blood, those without sins have lost their lives. The Indian government has another explanation for these occasional red rains – they are caused by airborne spores from a certain local strain of algae.
Most expensive Rolls Royce
The world’s most expensive Rolls Royce is a custom-crafted 1934 Rolls Royce Phantom II and it is specially crafted for the Maharaja of Rajkot, Gujarat. It was given the name “Star of India.” The car stayed in the family until it was sold by the Maharaja’s grandson.
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In 1968, the Star of India showed up at an auction in Monaco and was rebought by the same grandson who sold it. The Star of India’s value is actually $500,000. Its importance to the Maharaja family made its repurchasing price rise to $8.5 million.
Highest rail bridge in the world
You can find the highest rail bridge in the world, the Chenab rail bridge, in India. Construction of the steel and concrete arch bridge began in 2004. The bridge is considered to be an engineering marvel and is expected to be open for use by December 2022.
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The bridge that connects Bakkal and Kauri is considered to be a significant step toward a seamless railway connection. The bridge spans above the Chenab River at a height of 359 meters.
Tobacco-free village
There is a village in India where smoking is not allowed. The Shankarpura is a Sikh village and the Sikh religion bans tobacco use. Village elders have made measures to make sure that they are tobacco-free.
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Banning tobacco has shown great effects. The citizens are healthier and even the elderly feel young and are free from disease. Wouldn’t it be great if the rest of the world follows this village by going smoke-free?
The Amritsar Golden Temple
The Sri Harmandir Sahib, more known as the Amritsar Golden Temple, is the top spiritual shrine in the Sikh religion. The temple’s worth is estimated to be around $17 to $20 million. The temple has been around since the mid-1500s.
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The temple draws thousands of visitors each day thanks to its open-door policy. Tourists of all religious affiliations are welcome to explore the temple and the temple provides free vegetarian food for its visitors.
Floating post office
India’s Dal Lake is home to the only floating post office on the planet. The post office is there to serve a small and peaceful community that has been living in houseboats on the lake for hundreds of years.
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You can find this fascinating village in Srinagar, a very quiet and peaceful city. This floating post office has been keeping the floating village in touch with the rest of the world for about 200 years.
The tallest statue in the world
The Statue of Unity, which stands at 597 feet, is considered to be the tallest statue in the world. The statue is a depiction of Vallabhbhai Patel, who is India’s first home minister and deputy prime minister and was a devoted follower of Mahatma Gandhi.
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Construction of the Statue of Unity started in 2013 and it was inaugurated 5 years later. The total cost was said to be about $422 million. The statue is made out of concrete, cement, and steel. The outer facade is made out of bronze plates and cladding.
Gold and diamond contact lens
If you are looking for a way to make your eyes stand out, how about wearing a contact lens made out of gold and diamond? It is estimated to be quite a steal too since it costs $15,000 per pair.
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The extravagant contact lens is created by Dr. Chawan of the Shekhar Eye Research Center in Mumbai. The placement of the diamonds in the gold helps limit ocular irritation by letting an optimum amount of oxygen flow.
The bizarre asthma cure
In Hyderabad, India, the Goud family offers a home remedy for asthma that a lot of people consider to be a miracle cure. But you need to follow all instructions to a tee to have a 100% success rate. The treatment is offered at the start of the monsoon each year.
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You will be asked to swallow a tiny live fish that is attached to a ball of yellow paste. Nobody knows what’s in the paste. After taking the live fish, you are only allowed to eat rice, sugar, dried mango, lamb, spinach, and other very specific meals for 45 days.
Dog temple
In a village in Channaptna, you can find a small temple dedicated to dogs. This dog temple was built beside the temple of the Goddess Kempamma. The goddess was said to appear in the dream of one of the villagers and instructed him to make the temple.
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The temple was built to honor two of the village’s dogs who had gone missing without a trace. Today, the temple now houses statues of missing dogs. Every year, Channapatna holds a festival to celebrate the lives of these missing dogs.
The Exotica
India’s most expensive dessert is the Exotica, which is estimated to cost around $1,327 per pound. The Exotica is made out of ingredients from all over the world like macadamia nuts from South Africa, blueberries from America, hazelnuts from Europe, and many more.
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But what makes the Exotica expensive is the fact that the sweet is encased in 100% edible gold leaves. The Exotica comes in a special box that is made to increase its shelf life by 20 to 30 days.
The great wall of India
Did you know that India has its own version of the great wall of China? It is called Kumbhalgarh and has been around since the 15th century. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is one of the largest fort complexes in the world.
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The Kumbhalgarh is 36 kilometers long and snakes through valleys just like the great wall of China. The wall is built out of stone blocks and it has managed to withstand all sorts of weather conditions for centuries.
Wedding rings are worn on toes
The bicchiya is a toe ring that is usually worn by married women in India. This ring is worn in pairs and always on the second toe of both feet. The bicchiya are not to be removed throughout their lifetime as it is a symbol of marriage.
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The bicchiya is worn on the second toe of both feet because, in Ayuverdic medicine, it is believed that the second toe is connected directly to the uterus. The ring, which is usually made out of silver, places slight pressure on the second toe to ensure a healthy uterus.
Tata Goldplus
India’s Tata Nano is considered to be one of the cheapest and smallest cars in the world. Goldplus took a Tata Nano during the fifth millennia of Indian jewelry making and made it one of the most expensive vehicles around and it is known to be the Tata Goldplus.
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The Tata Goldplus has 22-carat gold plating and the coat of the car’s frame has real silver. Not only that – 10,000 gems were used in the car’s outer design. The value of the Tata Goldplus is estimated to be around $4.57 million.
The village of snakes
If you have a strong fear of snakes, you probably should avoid the village of Shetpal in Maharashtra. The villagers have high regard for snakes and worship them. They even welcome them into their homes!
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The villagers have built cobra huts inside their homes just in case a snake decides to spend time with them. Children are even allowed to handle snakes without supervision. And unbelievable, there have been no cases of any snake bites in the village.
Chili grenades
The bhut jolokia is native to Northeast India and is the hottest chili pepper in the world. The Indian Army has found a way to use it as an actual military weapon for crowd control and anti-terrorism.
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The Indian Army has created a flash-bang grenade that is made from hundreds of bhut jolokia seeds. The pungent and choking effect of the pepper can easily force any terrorists or insurgents out of a hiding place.
Mini Taj
When it comes to India, one of the first things people would want to visit is the Taj Mahal. It is undoubtedly the most well-known structure in India so you barely see a day without tourists around. But not many know of the Bibi Ka Maqbara or the Mini Taj.
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The Mini Taj is a smaller version of the Taj Mahal and was built about 615 miles away from the original. The Mini Taj was built by the son of the Taj Mahal’s creator and it was also built as a shrine for his wife.
Death Mountains Road
India’s Kolli Hills are known for their botanical gardens, waterfalls, and medicinal farms. It is also home to the famous “Death Mountains” road and you can see why it is called that by this aerial view of the labyrinth path.
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The long and winding road has 70 hairpin bends and they come one after another. Some bends are so narrow that only one vehicle at a time can use them. The road is also riddled with potholes so you better think twice before speeding away in it.
The violent tribe
The Bay of Bengal is home to the North Sentinel Island, which is guarded by the Indian Navy patrols. Nobody is permitted to be within 3 miles of the islands because it is home to a violent indigenous tribe called the Sentinelese.
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The Sentinelese are known to be very protective of their territory and they have killed just to keep outsiders away. The Sentinelese have been living in extreme isolation and people are banned from setting foot on its shores or having any contact with the tribe.
Town of twins
Having twins is not that common – especially identical twins. But in India, there are two small villages with residents giving birth to twins at a high rate. Just imagine how confusing it is to live there.
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In the Kodinhi village, 42 out of a thousand births are twins. The other village is the Mohammedpur Umri where 120 of its 900 residents are a twin. Experts are still figuring out why the citizens in these villages are prone to giving birth to twins.
$2 Billion Mumbai mansion
The richest man in India, Mukesh Ambani, stood out among billionaires by choosing a non-traditional mansion. He built Antilia – a 27-floor massive skyscraper in the heart of Mumbai to serve as his personal residence.
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Ambani has a net worth of close to $100 billion and this impressive skyscraper is said to be worth $2 billion. The Antilia houses three helipads, a 50-seat cinema, and even has one room that is designed to have snowflakes all year round.
Temple of rats
Rats are not exactly adorable and most people would freak out when they see one. They are known to be dirty, disease carriers that often wreck things in your home. But in the Karni Mata Temple in Deshnoke, rats are considered to be holy.
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It is said that there are more than 25,000 rats that roam the chambers, halls, and grounds of the temple freely. And if you can spot the solid white rat, you should consider it an honor as that white rat is the holiest of all the rodents in the temple.
Jal Mahal
The Jal Mahal is one of India’s most unique tourist spots. It is a water palace built in the middle of a lake. The palace was built in 1699 and after a century, Jai Singh II decided to renovate it and make it grander.
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The Jaj Mahal is made out of red sandstone and is considered to be one of the best examples of Rajput architecture. When the lake is filled up, four of the building’s five floors go underwater.
Pure gold shirt
Indian entrepreneur Datta Phuge has a custom-made shirt that costs about $230,888. The extravagant shirt has 14,000 gold flowerings and 100,000 gold spangles stitched to a velvet base.
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If you think that is already extravagant enough, there is more to add to its value. The pure gold shirt also comes with seven buttons. These buttons are made out of diamonds from the Swarovski collection.
Dining with the dead
In Ahmedabad, there is a restaurant where the customers are dining with the dead. While most people would find this morbid, it is actually not as gross as you think. It’s definitely a stop you must make if you are in to all things dead, goth, or zombies.
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The New Lucky restaurant in Ahmedabad is situated among the graves of a 16th-century Muslim center. And just for clarification, you will not be seeing corpses – the green boxes around the restaurant are the graves.
World’s highest road
You can find the world’s highest road in India in Eastern Ladakh, located at the heart of the Himalayas. This road sits 19,300 feet above sea level and it is the highest road on the entire planet that can be accessed by cars.
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The Ladakh road has turned into a tourist spot because of its distinction. If you want to take this Himalayan road trip, you should take 4x4s to avoid vehicular problems on the way there.
$12 Million wedding dress
Isha Ambani, the daughter of billionaire Mukesh Ambani (owner of the $2 billion mansions earlier) got married in an impressive wedding dress that was estimated to cost $12 million. Her palatial wedding to Anand Piramal was said to be valued at $100 million.
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The wedding dress was a 16-paneled gold and diamond lehenga that came with a train. Every panel of the dress was hand-embroidered, with every flower made out of sequins and crystals.
Shukavana Bird Sanctuary
If you love birds, you should make the Shukavana Bird Sanctuary a part of your itinerary. It is the record-setter for Guinness as having the most species in one aviary. It houses 2,100 colorful birds and these birds are made out of 468 different species.
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The free-flight aviary is founded by Dr. Sri Swamiji who feels strongly about the conservation and welfare of birds. The aviary is next to a bird hospital that treats injured and sick birds of all species.
The levitating stone
In Shivapur, Maharashtra, there is an ancient stone that draws hundreds of tourists to the area each day. The 700-year-old stone is known as the Levitating Stone and could be traced back to a Muslim Sufi named Qamar Ali Darvesh.
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The levitating stone weighs 154 pounds. Legend has it that 11 men can lift the stone above their heads using their index fingers as long as they shout the name of Darvesh. The stone has fascinated Indian Muslims for hundreds of years.
World’s largest monolithic statue
The Gommateshwara statue, with a height of 57 feet, is the world’s largest monolithic statue. You can find it standing tall on the Vindhyagiri Hill in Shravanabelagola, Karnataka. It is so large that people can see it from over 18 miles away.
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The amazing thing about it is that the statue is carved from one granite block. The statue was constructed in 983 AD as a monument to Bahubali, a Jainism figure for non-violence, simple living, peace, and the sacrifice of worldly possessions.
King of rubies
Balangore is home to the Rajaratna Ruby, which is considered to be the king of rubies. The ruby is a 2,475-carat gem in a cabochon cut. The ruby is considered to be the largest of its kind and has a unique six-star pattern.
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The Rajaratna Ruby has been around since medieval times. The King of Vijayanagar used to own it. The value of the Rajaratna Ruby is estimated to be about $200 million and the current owner has it locked up in a heavily secured vault.