Introduction
- Many foreign travellers visited India during the medieval period, which spanned from the 11th to the 17th century
- These travellers came to India for various motives, including trade, pilgrimage, and conquest
- Most of the travellers who came to India wrote accounts of their experiences, which provide valuable insights into Indian society during that time
- These accounts are important sources of information for historians, as they offer a unique perspective on Indian society and culture
Al-Biruni
- Al-Biruni was a great scholar of central Asia who came to India in the 11th century
- He was born in 973 in Khwarizm, Uzbekistan, and was well-versed in many languages, including Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, and Sanskrit
- Al-Biruni wrote “Kitab-ul-Hind” in Arabic, which is a voluminous text covering various aspects of Indian society
- The book is divided into 80 chapters and covers topics such as religion, philosophy, festivals, astronomy, alchemy, manners and customs, social life, weights and measures, iconography, laws, and metrology
- Al-Biruni was familiar with translations and adaptations of Sanskrit, Pali, and Prakrit texts into Arabic, and he was critical of the ways in which these texts were written
- He tried to explain the caste system by comparing it with other societies, and he suggested that social divisions were not unique to India
- Al-Biruni depended on the Vedas, the Puranas, the Bhagavad Gita, the works of Patanjali, and the Manusmriti, among other sources, to understand Indian society
- He noted that Sanskrit was so different from Arabic and Persian that ideas and concepts could not be translated easily from one language to another
Ibn Battuta
- Ibn Battuta was a great traveller of Morocco who came to India in the 14th century
- He was born in 1304 in Tangier, Morocco, and travelled extensively throughout the Indian subcontinent, West Asia, and China
- Ibn Battuta wrote “Rihla” in Arabic, which provides detailed accounts of social and cultural life in India
- The book is a rich source of information on the social and cultural life of India during the 14th century
- Ibn Battuta described Indian cities as densely populated and prosperous, and he noted the efficiency of the postal system in India
- He was amazed by the fertility of the soil in India, which allowed farmers to cultivate two crops a year
- Ibn Battuta also noted the flourishing manufacturing industry in India, which produced textiles, muslins, silks, brocades, and satins that were in great demand in West Asia and South-East Asia
- He was impressed by the prosperity of Indian merchants, who traded with countries in West Asia and South-East Asia
Francois Bernier
- Francois Bernier was a French traveller who came to India in the 17th century
- He spent 12 years in India and was closely associated with the Mughal court
- Bernier wrote “Travels in the Mughal Empire”, which provides detailed accounts of Indian society
- The book is a critical analysis of Indian society, and Bernier often compared Indian society with European society, emphasizing the superiority of the latter
- Bernier criticized the crown ownership system of land, which he believed led to disastrous consequences for the economy and society
- He noted that the Mughal emperor owned all the lands and distributed them among his nobles, which led to a lack of investment in agriculture and industry
- Bernier also noted the existence of a prosperous merchant community in India, which traded with countries in West Asia and South-East Asia
- He was impressed by the efficiency of the postal system in India, which was of two kinds: the horse-post called “uluq” and the foot-post called “dawa”
Views of Travellers about Women
- Slaves were openly sold in markets, and female slaves were used for domestic labour and to serve the Sultan and nobles
- Bernier wrote about the practice of Sati, noting that some women seemed to embrace death cheerfully, while others were forced to die
- Women’s labour was crucial in both agricultural and non-agricultural production
- Women from merchant families participated in commercial activities
- Ibn Battuta mentioned that there was considerable differentiation among slaves, and that female slaves were used for domestic labour and to serve the Sultan and nobles
Important Terms
- Hindu: derived from an old Persian word, referring to the region east of the river Sindhu (Indus)
- Antyaja: those people who were included in the major four castes prevalent in Indian society
- Tarababad: the music market in Daultabad
- Ulaq: horse postal system
- Daw: foot postal system
- Camp Towns: towns that owed their existence and survival to the imperial camp
Time Line
- 973: Al-Biruni was born in Uzbekistan
- 1031: “Kitab-ul-Hind” was published
- 1048: Death of Al-Biruni
- 1304: Ibn Battuta was born in Tangier
- 1333: Ibn Battuta reached Sindh
- 1354: Ibn Battuta returned to Morocco
- 1377: “Rihla” was published
- 1620: Francisco-Pelsart, a Dutch traveller, reached India
- 1628: Petermundy of England visited India
- 1656-68: Francois Bernier visited India
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