General Awareness Facts

• The Chinese traveller Hiuen Tsang visited India during the period of emperor Harsha.

• He travelled during (AD 627-643). • When he went back to China, he wrote a detailed description of
India during the reign of Harsha in his book ‘Si-yu-ki’ or ‘Record of the Western Countries.

• The primary aim of the visit of Hiuen Tsang to India was to gain knowledge of Buddhism and collect its
religious texts.

• Chola dynasty was widely known for local self-government.

• The king was the supreme authority of the state.There was a Council of Ministers to help the king in
the state affairs.

• The Chola kingdom was divided into several Mandalam or provinces with provincial governors.

• The Chola kings ruled their kingdom with the help of a council of ministers and of officers who were in
charge of various branches of administration.

• Each Mandalam was also divided into Upamandalam or Kottams.

• Each Kottam was sub-divided into number of districts or Nadus.The smallest unit of administration was
the village or Tar-Kurams.

• Iltutmish was a son-in-law of Aibak. He ruled the Ghurid regions of northern India.

• Iltutmish was the greatest of the slave rulers of Delhi, who shifted his capital from Lahore to Delhi.

• He completed the construction of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque and the Qutb Minar.

• He introduced the two coins of the Sultanate, the silver tanka, and the copper Jital.

• He also introduced the Iqtadari system in which the kingdom was divided into Iqtas which were
assigned to nobles in exchange for a salary.

•Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1388 A.D.) established hospitals (Dar-ul-Shafa), Marriage Bureau, (Diwani-i-
kherat), and Employment Bureau.

• Tughlaq dynasty: Tughlaq dynasty emerged during the period of medieval India and was of Turk-Indian
Origin. The dynasty majorly ruled over the Sultanate of Delhi. The Tuglaq dynasty emerged in 1312 and
ended in 1413 and was ruled by many rulers like Ghazi Malik, Muhammad-bin-Tughluq, etc. India
witnessed major changes in domestic and foreign policies during the reign of the Tughlaq Dynasty.

• Firoz Shah Tughlaq (1351-1 388 A.D.): In 1351 A.D. Firoz Tughlaq was the son of Ghiyas-ud-din
Tughlaq’s younger brother. He succeeded the throne. He withdrew all Taquavi (agricultural) loans
granted by Mohammed-bin-Tughlaq. He raised the salary of the revenue officers.He brought to an end
all unlawful And unjust taxes.

• Akbar (1556-1605):
O Emperor Akbar founded the city in By the name of “ILLAHABAS” which Later became ALLAHABAD. He
introduced the new religion as Din Ilahi. He introduced the Mansabdari System. Akbar defeated Hemu in
the second Battle of Panipat.He built Ibadat Khana in Fatehpur Sikri. He followed the policy of Sulh-i-kul.

•HumayunBabur’s son, Humayun, built Dinpanah in Delhi as his second capital. Humayun fought two
battles with Sher Shah Suri and was ultimately defeated: ▪Battle of Chausa. ▪ Battle of Kannauj. Humayun
died in AD 1556 falling from the stairs of his library building.

• Ibn Batuta came to Delhi in 1334 AD and acted as the Qazi of the capital for eight years. His book
'Rehla' throws light on the reign of Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq and the geographical, economic and social
conditions in India.