Travellers
Ancient Period Travellers
Megasthenes
- From: Greece
- Visited during: Reign of Chandragupta Maurya (4th century BCE)
- Book: Indica
- Described: Administration, social structure, military, Pataliputra
📝 PYQ (BPSC 65th): Who wrote Indica? → Megasthenes
Fa-Hien (Faxian)
- From: China
- Visited during: Reign of Chandragupta II (Gupta Period, 5th century CE)
- Book: Fo-Kuo-Ki (Record of Buddhist Kingdoms)
- Purpose: Study Buddhism, collect scriptures
- Described: Prosperity, absence of capital punishment, cities like Pataliputra
📝 PYQ (BPSC 67th): Who visited India during Chandragupta II’s reign? → Fa-Hien
Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang)
- From: China
- Visited during: Reign of Harshavardhana (7th century CE)
- Book: Si-Yu-Ki
- Studied at: Nalanda University
- Described: Politics, religion, education, society of India
📝 PYQ (BPSC 66th): Which Chinese traveller visited Nalanda University? → Xuanzang
Medieval Period Travellers
Al-Biruni
- From: Central Asia (Khwarezm, Uzbekistan)
- Came with: Mahmud of Ghazni
- Book: Tahqiq-i-Hind
- Subjects: Indian religion, science, geography
- Objective: Understand Indian culture scientifically
Ibn Battuta
- From: Morocco
- Visited during: Reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq
- Book: Rihla
- Appointed as Qazi of Delhi
- Described: Sultan’s erratic nature, administrative setup
📝 PYQ (BPSC 64th): Ibn Battuta visited India during whose reign? → Muhammad bin Tughlaq
Marco Polo
- From: Italy (Venice)
- Visited: South India during rule of Kakatiyas
- Described: Trade, pearl industry, customs of south Indians
Later Medieval / Early Modern Period Travellers
Niccolò de' Conti
- From: Italy
- Visited during: Vijayanagar Empire
- Described: Economy, richness of the empire
Abdur Razzak
- From: Persia
- Visited during: Reign of Deva Raya II of Vijayanagar
- Described: Splendor of Hampi, court practices
Domingo Paes
- From: Portugal
- Visited: Court of Krishnadeva Raya
- Wrote detailed account of Vijayanagar’s prosperity
Duarte Barbosa
- From: Portugal
- Visited early 16th century
- Described: South Indian coastal trade and administration
Francois Bernier
- From: France
- Visited during: Reign of Aurangzeb
- Described: Mughal economy, land revenue system
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier
- From: France
- A jeweller and merchant
- Travelled during Shah Jahan’s reign
- Described: Diamond mines, royal wealth
Bihar Relevance
- Xuanzang and Fa-Hien visited important sites in Bihar like Nalanda, Rajgir, and Pataliputra
- Their accounts are key to understanding ancient Buddhist institutions in Bihar
- Pataliputra described by Megasthenes and Fa-Hien as a major cultural and administrative hub
Quick Revision Points
- Megasthenes – Mauryan India, wrote Indica
- Fa-Hien – Gupta era Buddhist pilgrim
- Xuanzang – Harsha era, Nalanda
- Al-Biruni – Ghazni’s scholar, wrote Tahqiq-i-Hind
- Ibn Battuta – Qazi under Tughlaq, wrote Rihla
- Domingo Paes, Abdur Razzak – Vijayanagar
- Francois Bernier – Aurangzeb’s court observer
- Tavernier – Jeweller in Shah Jahan’s court
Sources Used
- NCERT Themes in Indian History – Part I & II
- Lucent GK – History Section
- Drishti Bihar Special Book
- Ghatna Chakra PYQs – BPSC/DPSC/CDPO
- Ministry of Culture Archives
Modern Travellers and Foreign Visitors – BPSC Modern History Notes
Importance of Modern Travellers
- Modern travellers and foreign visitors provided first-hand accounts of India’s society, economy, and colonial rule during the 17th to 19th centuries.
- Their writings and memoirs are important sources for understanding India under the Mughals, European trading companies, and British Raj.
European Travellers during Mughal Era
Sir Thomas Roe
- Country: England
- Sent by: King James I
- Visited: Court of Jahangir (1615)
- Purpose: Establish East India Company trade
- Account: Wrote letters and diaries describing court life
📝 PYQ (BPSC 66th): Sir Thomas Roe visited the court of? → Jahangir
Francisco Pelsaert
- Country: Netherlands
- Worked with: Dutch East India Company
- Visited: During reign of Shah Jahan
- Described: Mughal society, urban life in Agra
- Book: Remonstrantie
Jean-Baptiste Tavernier
- Country: France
- Profession: Jeweller
- Visited: During Shah Jahan’s reign
- Described: Diamond trade, wealth of Mughals, economic life
Francois Bernier
- Country: France
- Visited: Court of Aurangzeb
- Criticised: Mughal revenue system
- Book: Travels in the Mughal Empire
📝 PYQ (BPSC 64th): Who gave an account of land revenue system under Mughals? → Francois Bernier
Niccolao Manucci
- Country: Italy (Venice)
- Stayed: Long time in India during Aurangzeb’s rule
- Book: Storia do Mogor
- Provided details of Mughal decline and wars
British Officials and Observers
James Mill
- Book: The History of British India (1817)
- Divided Indian history into Hindu, Muslim, and British periods
- Considered biased but widely influential in colonial policy
William Sleeman
- British officer in early 19th century
- Known for: Campaign against Thuggee (bandits)
- Wrote reports on rural crime and lawlessness
Max Mueller
- German scholar who translated Rigveda and other texts
- Never visited India but influenced European views on ancient Indian culture
Other Notable Modern Visitors
Mark Twain (1896)
- American author
- Described India as “the cradle of human race”
- Wrote travel account: Following the Equator
- Visited Varanasi and Bihar, observed British India’s contrasts
Annie Besant
- British-born theosophist and Indian freedom activist
- Founded Home Rule League
- Visited Bihar and other provinces to spread nationalist ideas
Sister Nivedita (Margaret Noble)
- Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda
- Settled in India, especially active in education of girls
- Worked in Bihar and Bengal during famine and plague
Bihar Relevance
- Thomas Roe's visit paved the way for East India Company’s expansion in Eastern India including Bihar
- Annie Besant and Sister Nivedita visited Bihar during their work for social reform and nationalism
- Mark Twain observed traditional religious sites in Bihar during his visit to Varanasi and Patna region
Quick Revision Points
- Sir Thomas Roe – Envoy of James I to Jahangir
- Tavernier – Jeweller, Shah Jahan court
- Bernier – Critic of Mughal land system, Aurangzeb
- Manucci – Eyewitness to Mughal decline
- James Mill – Divided Indian history, never visited India
- Mark Twain – Travelled across Bihar, called India spiritual
- Sister Nivedita, Annie Besant – Associated with Bihar’s nationalist work
Sources Used
- NCERT Class 12 – Themes in Indian History Part II
- Lucent GK – Modern History
- Spectrum – A Brief History of Modern India
- Drishti Bihar Special Book
- Ghatna Chakra PYQs – BPSC, CDPO, DPRO