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Through The Eyes Of Travellers
From the descriptions of Ibn-Battuta, what glimpse we find about the agricultural economy of the village and trade and commerce of the subcontinent?
Ibn-Battuta had no interest in describing the prosperity of the cities. But the historians have used his description to argue that the prosperity of the cities depended on agricultural economy of the villages. According to Ibn-Battuta, Indians agriculture was quite productive. Its reasons was the fertility of the land. It eas easy for the farmers to grow crops in a year. Ibn-battuta also saw that the subcontinent was part of a global network of communication. The Indians goods were in great demand in Central and South East Asia. It was profitable to both artisans and merchants. There was a great demand in India for cotton cloths, soft muslin, silk brocade and satin. Ibn-Battuya tells is that some kinds of mislin were so costly that only the rich could afford to buy them.
In other words, the coties of the subcontinent provided exciting opportunities to those who had necessary drive, skill and resources. All the cities had colourful markets having a wide variety of goods. The bazaars were the main places of economic transactions. They intgrated with inter-Asian networks at trade and commerce.
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Compare and contrast the perspectives from which Ibn-Battuta and Bernier wrote their accounts of their travels in India.
Discuss the picture of urban centres that emerges from Bernier’s account.
Analyse the evidence for slavery provided by Ibn-Battuta.
What were the elements of the practice of sati that drew the attention of Bernier?
Discuss Al-Biruni’s understanding of the caste system.
Do you think Ibn Battuta’s account is useful in arriving at an understanding of life in contemporary urban centres? Give reasons for your answer.
Discuss the extent to which Bernier’s account enables historians to reconstruct contemporary rural society.
Read this excerpt from Bernier:
“Numerous are the instances of handsome pieces of workmanship made by persons destitute of tools, and who can scarcerly be said to have received instruction from a master. Sometimes they imitate so perfectly articles of European manufacture that the difference between the original and copy can hardly be discerned. Among other things, the Indians make excellent muskets, and gold fowling-pieces, and such beautiful gold ornaments that it may be doubted if the exquisite workmanship of those articles can he exceeded by any European goldsmith. I have often admired the beauty, softness and delicacy of their paintings.”
List the crafts mentioned in the passage. Compare those with the descriptions of artisanal activity in the chapter.
On an outline map of the world mark the countries visited by Ibn Battuta. What are the seas that he may have crossed?
For any one of the travellers mentioned in the chapter, find out more about his life and writings. Prepare a report on his travels, noting in particular how he described society, and comparing these descriptions with the excerpts included in the chapter.
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