Variety of Travel Accounts

Absence of Women’s Travel Accounts

Despite historical evidence of women traveling, there is a scarcity of surviving travel accounts written by women, leaving gaps in our understanding of their experiences....

Variety of Travel Accounts

Surviving travel accounts cover a wide range of subjects, including court affairs, religious matters, and architectural features and monuments. For instance, Abdur Razzaq Samarqandi’s detailed description of the city of Vijayanagara in the fifteenth century offers valuable insights into its society and culture....

Domestic Travel Within Empires

In some cases, travelers did not venture far from their homeland. Administrators in the Mughal Empire, for example, traveled within the empire, documenting observations on popular customs, folklore, and traditions....

Enriching Knowledge of the Past

Descriptions of social life provided by travelers offer valuable insights into the past, enriching our understanding of historical societies. Three notable travelers whose accounts contribute to our understanding of the Indian subcontinent are Al-Biruni from Uzbekistan (eleventh century), Ibn Battuta from Morocco (fourteenth century), and François Bernier, a Frenchman (seventeenth century)....

Ibn Battuta’s Rihla

Ibn Battuta was an avid explorer who spent several years wandering across North Africa, West Asia, and portions of Central Asia (perhaps including Russia), the Indian subcontinent, and China before returning to Morocco. When he returned, the local monarch ordered that his stories be documented....

Francois Bernier

He was a Frenchman, a doctor, political philosopher and historian. He came to the Mughal court in search of opportunities. He was in India for twelve years from 1656 to 1668. He was closely associated to the Mughal court as a physician to Prince Dara Shukoh, the eldest son of Shah Jahan. He travelled to several parts of the country and wrote accounts of what he saw and comparing India with the situation in Europe. He dedicated his major writing to the king of France Louis XIV. Bernier’s Travels in the Mughal Empire is marked by detailed observations, critical insights and reflection According to Bernier one of the fundamental differences between Mughal India and Europe was the lack of private property in land. He believed in the virtues of private property and saw crown ownership of land as harmful for both the state and its people. The empire owned all the land and distributed it among his nobles which had disastrous consequences for the economy and society. Bernier chose the practice of sati for detailed description. He noted that while some women seemed to embrace death cheerfully, others were forced to die. It seems unlikely that women were confined to the private spaces of their homes because their labour was crucial in both agricultural and non-agricultural production....

FAQs on Class 12 History Notes Chapter 5 Through the Eyes of Travellers Perceptions of Society

Who are the three notable Travellers whose accounts contribute to our understanding of the Indian Subcontinent?...