List of Foreign Travellers Who Visited India, UPSC Notes

Foreign travellers who visited India left behind invaluable accounts that provide a deeper understanding of its rich history and culture. The subcontinent, with its ancient civilizations, vast geography, and cultural diversity, attracted voyagers from across the world. From Greek scholars in antiquity to medieval Arab merchants and early modern Europeans, these foreign travellers who visited India documented their experiences, offering a unique perspective on India’s traditions, socio-economic systems, and imperial grandeur.

Figures like Megasthenes, who described the Mauryan Empire, Al-Beruni, who studied Indian sciences, Marco Polo, who admired its trade, and Bernier, who observed the Mughal court, penned detailed accounts. Their works preserve vital historical insights and enhance India’s reputation globally as a land of wealth and wisdom.

Foreign Travellers Who Visited India

Foreign travellers who visited India have played a vital role in uncovering its rich history, diverse culture, and societal structure. India captivated voyagers from ancient Greeks to medieval Arabs like Al-Beruni and Europeans like Marco Polo and Sir Thomas Roe.

• Their vivid descriptions illustrate the grandeur of powerful empires, the wealth of Indian kings, and the unique cultural diversity, offering invaluable perspectives on how the subcontinent evolved.
  • Without these records, the history of India would have remained incomplete.
• Prominent figures like Megasthenes, who chronicled the Mauryan Empire, Xuan Zang, who observed India’s religious life, and Al-Beruni, who studied its sciences, documented critical details.
• Additionally, writers who never visited India compiled knowledge from various sources, further enriching the historical narrative of the land.

Reasons for Foreign Travellers' Visits to India

Foreign travellers visited India for diverse purposes, drawn by its spiritual traditions, flourishing trade networks, and cultural wealth. Their journeys were motivated by various reasons, including religious pursuits, diplomatic missions, intellectual curiosity, and a desire to document the subcontinent’s rich heritage and advancements.

• Religious pursuits: Buddhist scholars like Hiuen Tsang from China sought to study the origins and practices of Buddhism in India.
• Trade and commerce: India's thriving trade networks and markets attracted merchants from various regions seeking business opportunities.
• Cultural exchange: India's rich heritage in arts, philosophy, and traditions piqued the curiosity of foreign travellers interested in cultural immersion.
• Political missions: Emissaries like Megasthenes were sent on diplomatic missions to establish political and economic ties with Indian kingdoms.
• Scientific learning: India's advances in astronomy, mathematics, and medicine drew scholars eager to learn from its intellectual traditions.
• Historical documentation: Travellers like Ptolemy aimed to chronicle and record observations about ancient Indian society, geography, and history.

Foreign Travellers Who Visited India in Ancient Period

Foreign travellers who visited india during ancient India played a pivotal role in documenting the subcontinent's rich history, culture, and advancements. Their accounts offer invaluable glimpses into the political, social, and religious fabric of India, highlighting its enduring influence on the world.  Some of the prominent foreign travellers during ancient India are as follows:

• Megasthenes: Megasthenes, a Greek ethnographer and ambassador, visited the court of Chandragupta Maurya as an envoy of Seleucus Nicator.
  • He wrote the famous work 'Indika', which provides valuable information about the Mauryan Empire, its administration, society, geography, and culture.
  • He is often hailed as the “Father of Indian History.”
• Deimachus: He was a Greek ambassador to the court of Bindusara, son of Chandragupta Maurya. His accounts corroborate and supplement Megasthenes' descriptions of ancient India.
• Fa-Hien: Fa-Hien was a Chinese Buddhist monk and one of the earliest Chinese travellers to India. He travelled to India during the rule of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya).
  • His travelogue 'A Record of the Buddhist Kingdoms' provides insights into ancient India's religious and social life during the period of the Gupta Empire.

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Foreign Travellers Who Visited India in Medieval Period

Foreign travellers who visited india during Medieval India continued to document the subcontinent's dynamic political, cultural, and religious landscape. Their accounts offer a deeper understanding of the interactions between India and the outside world, shedding light on the socio-political shifts and cultural exchanges of the time. Some notable foreign travellers during this period include:

Hiuen Tsang

Hsüan-Tsang, also known as Xuan Zang, was a Chinese Buddhist monk who travelled to India during the reign of Harshavardhana in the Post-Gupta Era. His memoir, 'Great Tang Records on the Western Regions,' provides insights into the religious, political, and cultural life of India during this period.

• During his sixteen-year pilgrimage, he traversed the Silk Road and parts of South Asia.
• At Nalanda, he translated Buddhist scriptures, engaged in scholarly pursuits, and contributed to the exchange of knowledge between China and India.

I-Tsing

I-Tsing, a 7th-century Chinese traveller, visited India during the Chalukyas and Pallava rule in the Deccan region. His primary purpose was to study and gain knowledge about Buddhist teachings, philosophy, and monastic life in India, which was considered the origin of Buddhism.

• His accounts offer rich insights into Buddhist practices like monastic rules and monks' daily routines in India.

Al-Beruni

Al-Beruni was a Persian scholar, mathematician, and polymath who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni's expeditions to India between 1024 and 1030 AD. He is considered the "Father of Indology" for his pioneering and insightful study of Indian history, culture, and sciences.

• In his seminal work “Tahqiq-i-Hind”, he covered a wide range of topics related to Indian civilisation, including religion, philosophy, literature, science, astronomy, mathematics, geography, chronology, and social customs.
• He translated several Indian works into Arabic, including the Brahmasiddhanta, a Sanskrit text on astronomy and mathematics.

Al-Masudi

Al-Masudi, an Arab historian and traveller, visited parts of India and the Indian Ocean islands. His book 'Meadows of Gold' contains descriptions of Indian society, religions, and maritime activities.

• His travels and writings provide valuable insights into the cultural and geographical aspects of India and its maritime connections with other regions.

Marco Polo

Marco Polo, a Venetian explorer, visited the Indian subcontinent during 1292-1294 CE on his journey to Kublai Khan's court in China. He visited Southern India during the reigns of Rudramma Devi of the Kakatiyas and Pandyan ruler Madverman.

• Observations: The thriving trade, industries, and economic activities in southern India during the late 13th century.

Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta, the famed Moroccan traveller, arrived in Delhi during Muhammad bin Tughluq's reign in 1333 CE. He served for some time as a judge in the Delhi court.

• About Rihla: Battuta's travelogue 'Rihla' offers a vivid firsthand account of life in Delhi. His narratives unveil the grandeur of the court, the Sultan's peculiarities, and insights into administration, law and order, and socio-cultural aspects under Tughluq's rule.
• Rihla also sheds light on the taxation policies, currency regulations, and public projects of the time.
• Additionally, it captures details of daily life, festivals, customs, and religious practices across the Sultanate territories he traversed, offering an invaluable peek into 14th-century India.

Niccolò de Conti

Niccolò de Conti, a Venetian merchant and explorer, spent around 25 years travelling in the Indian Ocean region during the 15th century. He reached the Vijayanagar Empire around 1420 CE and spent several years there. He witnessed the reigns of Deva Raya I and Deva Raya II.

• His detailed accounts describe Vijayanagar's grandeur and the Vijayanagar architecture providing insights into the empire's social customs, religious practices, caste system, Hindu festivals, and the practice of Sati.

Abdur Razzaq

Abdur Razzaq, a Persian ambassador sent by Shah Rukh of the Timurid Empire, visited Calicut in 1442 CE during the Zamorin's reign. In his memoir "The Journey of Abdur Razzaq," he vividly described Calicut's prosperous port, bustling markets, vibrant spice and textile trade, and the presence of foreign merchants.

• His account offers insights into the Zamorin's court and administration, and is a valuable primary source on medieval India's maritime commercial history.

Athanasius Nikitin

Nikitin was a Russian merchant who visited India and wrote the famous 'The Travels of Athanasius Nikitin' describing his experiences. Nikitin's writings offer insights into the political conditions, trade activities, social customs, and religious practices prevalent in parts of India during the 15th century.

Duarte Barbosa

Barbosa, a Portuguese traveller, spent around 16 years in India, primarily in the regions of Kerala and the Vijayanagara Empire, from the late 15th to early 16th century. He provided detailed descriptions of the intricate caste system prevalent in Indian society, highlighting the various castes, their occupations, and social hierarchies.

• He wrote extensively about the prosperous Vijayanagara Empire, Calicut, Cochin, and Goa, highlighting their economic importance and cultural diversity.

Domingo Paes

Domingo Paes was a Portuguese traveller who visited the Vijayanagara Empire between 1520-1522 AD during the reign of Krishnadevaraya.

• Paes's account describes the grandeur, wealth, and power of the Vijayanagara Empire under Krishnadevaraya. He marvelled at the extensive territory, efficient administration, prosperous trade, and formidable military of the empire.

Fernão Nuniz

Fernão Nuniz was a Portuguese traveller and horse trader who visited the Vijayanagara Empire in the early 16th century, around 1535-1537 CE, during the reign of Achyuta Deva Raya. His accounts provide valuable insights into Hindu religious practices, temples, festivities like Diwali and Holi, the caste system, and cultural aspects of that era.

• Nuniz's account highlighted the relatively high status, freedom, and visibility of women across different classes in 16th-century Vijayanagara compared to contemporaneous European societies.
• He mentioned that the women were experts in astrology, wrestling and soothsaying.

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier

Jean-Baptiste Tavernier was a French gem merchant, traveller and pioneer of trade with India in the 17th century. He made six arduous journeys to India between 1638 and 1668, travelling extensively across the Mughal Empire under the reigns of Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.

• Tavernier visited during the peak of the Mughal Empire under Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb. His accounts focus on trade, routes, gemstones, and commerce.
• He also elaborately discussed diamonds and diamond mines in India.

François Bernier

François Bernier was a French physician and traveller who spent around 12 years (1658-1669) in India, primarily in the court of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

• Bernier's compelling first-hand observations and critiques in 'Travels in the Mogul Empire' provide one of the most comprehensive contemporary European accounts of life, society and politics in India during the later Mughal period.

List of Foreign Travellers Who Visited India

Since the beginning of time, travellers from all over the world have visited India. This is a list of notable foreign visitors to India in a chronological order, along with information about their visits.

Foreign Travellers in Indian History Contributions

Foreign travellers have made significant contributions to our understanding and knowledge of India's history, culture, and society through their detailed accounts and observations.

• Documentation of historical events and dynasties: Travellers like Megasthenes, Hiuen Tsang, and Ibn Battuta chronicled India's political landscapes, administrations, and historical events across dynasties like the Mauryas and Mughals.
• Insights into socio-cultural practices: Their accounts illuminated India's diverse social customs, religious festivals, art, architecture, and daily life across regions, highlighting the country's rich cultural traditions.
• Trade and commerce: Merchant travellers like Niccolò de' Conti, Athanasius Nikitin, and Jean-Baptiste Tavernier documented India's trade routes, commercial activities, and economic conditions.
• Religious and philosophical exchanges: Buddhist travelers like Fa-Hien and Hiuen Tsang facilitated religious-philosophical exchanges, documenting Buddhist institutions and teachings in India.
• Architectural marvels: Travelers' vivid accounts of India's architectural marvels like temples, forts, and palaces aided historical preservation efforts.
• Comparative perspectives: Foreign travellers' accounts offer cross-cultural perspectives, revealing how outsiders perceived Indian society, culture, and governance, highlighting differences.

Limitations of Assessment by Foreign Travellers in Indian History

The assessments of foreign travellers to India were often shaped by various limitations, leading to incomplete or skewed portrayals of the subcontinent. Cultural prejudices, language barriers, selective observation, and incorrect depictions of complex social structures all contributed to the inaccuracies in their accounts.

• Cultural prejudices: Travellers often viewed Indian conditions through a European lens and portrayed them as the inverse or opposite.
  • For example, Niccolò Manucci portrayed Indian customs and practices in a negative light, describing them as "barbarous" and "uncivilised".
• Language obstacles: Misunderstandings and distorted portrayals due to limited grasp of local languages.
• Selective observation: They mostly focused on elites, nobles, and administration while ignoring the common people's lived experiences.
  • Thomas Roe focused his observations primarily on the Mughal imperial court and the nobility.
• Incorrect depiction: Inaccuracies and oversimplifications in depictions arising from limited understanding of complex social structures.
  • For example, Barbosa categorised the Indian population into only four castes, failing to capture the complex hierarchies and sub-divisions within the system.

Foreign Travellers Who Visited India UPSC PYQs

Q1: Persian literary sources of medieval India reflect the spirit of the age. Comment. (UPSC Mains 2020)

Q2: Assess the importance of the accounts of the Chinese and Arab travellers in the reconstruction of the history of India. (UPSC Mains 2018)

Q3: According to the Portuguese writer Nuniz, the women in the Vijayanagara Empire were experts in which of the following areas?

1. Wrestling
2. Astrology
3. Accounting
4. Soothsaying

Select the correct answer using the code given below. (UPSC Prelims 2021)

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 1, 3 and 4 only

(c) 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Ans: (d)

Q4: Which one of the following foreign travellers elaborately discussed about diamonds and diamond mines in India? (UPSC Prelims 2018)

(a) Francois Bernier

(b) Jean-Baptiste Tavernier

(c) Jean de Thevenot

(d) Abbe Barthelemy Carre

Ans: (b)

Q5: The Chinese traveller Yuan Chwang (Hiuen Tsang) who visited India recorded the general conditions and culture of India at that time. In this context, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The roads and river routes were completely immune from robbery.
2. As regards punishment for offences, ordeals by fire, water and poison were the instruments for determining the innocence or guilt of a person.
3. The tradesmen had to pay duties at ferries and barrier stations.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below. (UPSC Prelims 2013)

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (b)