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Astronomy
You could with authority say that the Indians invented the science of astronomy during the Gupta period. The great Aryabhata, in his book Surya Sidanta, was the first to hold that the earth is a sphere that rotates around its own axis. He also discovered the causes of solar and lunar eclipses, and methods to predict their occurrence.
Ayurveda
Dating from 5000 BC, during the Vedic period, ayurveda is perhaps the most important contribution to medicine that India has made. It means 'way of life' in sanskrit. For centuries, ayurveda has provided diagnoses on curing diseases, through the use of natural substances such as plants, herbs and metals. Today, the magic of ayurvedic healing can be found in ready-made, packaged bottles the world over.
Bindi
Traditionally seen as the mark of a married woman, the bindi is now worn more as a decoration for the sari or salwar. Previously, bindi-wearing Indians abroad were scorned by locals. However, after the trendy and beautiful Gwen Stefani, lead singer of the pop group 'No Doubt' has incorporated it as her trademark, the bindi is now quite popular.
Chess
The earliest reference to the game was found in the Mahabharat, when Yudhishtir gambled and lost his wife, Draupadi, over a game of dyut. Now, thankfully, chess has been given a more noble reputation by Vishwanathan Anand, the Indian chess Grandmaster. Anand has helped give the game mass appeal, by establishing himself as one of the top chess players in the world today.
Curry
Perhaps the most popular of all India's culinary exports, the curry was recently named as the most popular dish in Britain. Curry derives it's name from 'kadi', the Tamil word for sabzi (or vegetable). In some parts of the world, going for a 'curry and a beer' are an intrinsic part of a good 'night out'.
Gypsy
These wandering nomads have their origins in India, which they left around 1000 AD. They can be found the world over, especially in Eastern Europe, where they experience prejudice due to their fortune-telling and begging. Estimates of their global population range from one million to over six million. Their Indian roots can be best seen in the famous dance, the flamenco, which is strikingly similar to Indian classical dance.
Henna
Indians always knew the special qualities of this reddish brown herbal dye. Whether it was used for improving the texture and colour of hair, or for it's decorative value during weddings, they discovered the potential of mehendi first. Now, the world has caught on - not only do you get henna shampoos readily in supermarkets abroad, but even Hollywood celebrities like Demi Moore and the singer Prince paint mehendi designs on their hands.
Incence Sticks
Incense sticks or agarbati as we call them, are mostly used on religious occasions and kept in front of local deities. However, they are also becoming a huge hit with youngsters abroad and ar being used on a more regular basis.
Kama Sutra
This ancient text on sexual love, was written by Vatsyayana in the mid-4th century. The text was made accessible to the English-speaking world by the orientalist Sir Richard Burton. It is essentially a philosophy on love and how to achieve happy and harmonius relationships, especially between husband and wife.
Neem
Dating from the Vedic period, the Neem plant is considered to be very auspicious, not only for it's medicinal values, but also for it's use in religious rites. Neem is also revered for it's unmatched use as a biologically sound pesticide and an air purifier. The magical properties of the neem have now been revealed to the world.
Nose Ring
For centuries, Indian women have been wearing the nose ring, which was traditionally given to them by their in-laws on marriage. Now, thanks to western designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, nose rings in particular, and body piercing in general, have become the vogue all over the world.
Pi
It was the great scholar Aryabhata who discovered the accurate value of 'pi' as 3.1416. Aryabhata was the first to treat mathematics as a distinct subject and deal with algebra and arithmetic, as well as areas and volumes in his classic book Aryabhata (499 AD). Aryabhata also developed the decimal system.
Sadhu
Ask the world to think of Indian mysticism. Chances are, they'll picturise not a sadhu, but a resplendent guru with a flowing beard, glowing eyes and several dozen glam cars lined up behind. Two, who have really have captured the imagination of the world's jetsetters in search of spiritual bliss are, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Osho (formerly Bhagwan Rajneesh). Osho's spirit still lives in Pune, in the fantastic Osho commune.
Salwar
A few years ago, the only time you would see a salwar kameez outside India, was if it was being adorned by a North Indian woman. Now, the formally frumpy salwar has become a fashion must-have. Perhaps the social acceptance of the salwar can be seen in Indian designer, Ritu Kumar, who opened her boutique in the plush, and very upwardly-mobile, Mayfair in London.
Swastika
It is unfortunate that the auspicious Hindu symbol, the swastik, was appropriated by the Nazis in the 1930's to symbolise one of the most destructive and evil political movements of this century. It is ironic that the Hindu-derived Swastika strikes terror in the hearts of many NRI's, when used by right-wing groups who carry on the Nazi legacy.
Yoga
The ancient Hindu system of mental and physical exercise is practiced the world over. The belief that yoga can improve one's health and peace of mind, has prompted thousands of foreigners to try it out.
Zero
The zero, is probably the biggest contribution that India has given the world. It was invented by Maharishi Kanad during the Gupta period (320-480 AD), when India enjoyed it's own renaissance of sanskrit, poetry, literature, astronomy and mathematics.
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