Indian Civilization is one of the oldest civilizations in the world which has a strong tradition of science and technology. You will not imagine that finest inventions have come from Indian civilization only. From Shampoo to natural fibres and invention on zero all have come from that time and we feel proud for such inventions that are helping us today. Even there are some groundbreaking theories or some inventions with which people are still not familiar today.
But many of them have come out of India and it is no surprise to us now. Do you want to know about those contributions which are made by ancient Indians that will make you feel proud to be an Indian for sure?
Have a look at some of them below –
1. Natural fibres
Do you know all the products made from natural fibres including jute, cotton and wool originated in India? One of the finest wool-cashmere wool came from Kashmir region which is used for making woollen shawls. People during the Indus Valley Civilisation used to grow cotton during the 5th millennium–4th millennium BCE and then convert the cotton into threads which were later used for creating fabrics. Also, India used to grow jute and then export it to the West.
2. Treatment for leprosy and lithiasis
India is among the major contributors in the field of medicine since time immemorial. Indians first identified and found the treatment for leprosy by using ancient remedies mentioned in the Atharva Veda (1500–1200 BCE). Lithiasis is the formation of stones in the body and India was the first to find the treatment for this disease in a treatment described in the Sushruta Samhita (6th century BCE) which is a textbook on ancient surgery.
3. Spinning wheel
The spinning yarn was invented in India between 500 and 1000 AD which eventually replaces hand spinning across the world. It is popularly known as ‘Charka’ among peoples and eventually become the symbol of India’s independence movement.
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4. Cataract surgery
Do you know the first cataract surgery was performed by the ancient Indian physician Sushruta long back ago in 6th century BCE? He used a curved needle, Jabamukhi Salaka to remove the cataract from the eyes. Later on, Sushruta’s surgical works were translated into Arabic language and his works were introduced to the West through the Arabs.
5. The Zero
‘Zero’ is one of the most important contributions to the history of mathematics and we know that. Without the invention of zero, there would have been no binary system and subsequently, no computers. All thanks go to ‘Aryabhatta’ who invented this numeral and named it. The best part Indians were the first one to use ‘Zero’ as a symbol in doing calculations like addition and subtraction.
6. Shampoo
Yes, you need to thank India for inventing shampoo in 1762 in the eastern parts of the Mughal Empire and was used as a ‘head massage’ comprising of natural oils and herbs. ‘Shampoo’ is an English word that is derived from the Hindi word ‘Champo’ which came from the Sanskrit word ‘Chapayati’, which means massage.
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7. Buttons
You will be amazed to know that buttons also originated from India. Yes, it’s true. The origin of buttons traces back to the Indus Valley Civilisation in 2000 BCE which is nearly 5,000 years ago. Buttons were made out using seashells and then formed into geometric shapes with tiny holes in them. During the past, they were used for ornamental purposes but now you know what it is used for?
