LIST OF FOREIGN TRAVELLERS TO INDIA

29th April, 2021 Prelims

LIST OF FOREIGN TRAVELLERS TO INDIA

Megasthenes (302-298 B.C.)

Greek ethnographer & ambassador.

Ambassador of Seleucus Nicator, who visited in the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
Described India in his book Indika.
Megasthenes also describes about India's two major rivers Sindhu and Ganga....
First person to describe ancient India, and for that reason he has been called "The Father
of Indian history”

Deimachos (320-273 BC)

Greek Ambassador
Come as ambassador to Bindusāra or Amitraghāta, the son and successor of
Chandragupta Maurya.
Provided important information about the contemporary society and polity.
He was sent by Antiochus I (the son of Seleucus Nikator).
Ptolemy (130 A.D.)

From Greece
Geographer
Wrote “the geography of India”-which describes ancient Indian geography.

Faxian (AD 405-411)

The Chinese wayfarer arrived in India on foot during the days of Chandragupta
Vikramaditya.
The first Buddhist pilgrim to visit India, Faxian has given valuable details about the Gupta
dynasty, and the social and economic spheres.
He is known for his visit to Lumbini.
His voyage is described in his travelogue “Record of Buddhist Kingdom”
'Foguoji' is one of his famous books.

Xuanzang (630 AD)

The Chinese traveller visited India in and stayed on for 15 years.

He visited India during the supremacy of Harsha Vardhana.
He studied about the caste system of the days and wrote the book 'Si-Yu-Ki.'/ ‘THE
RECORDS OF WESTERN WORLD’
I-TSING (671-695 AD)

He was a Chinese traveller.

Visited India in connection with Buddhism.
His work include biographies many important monks.

Al Samudi (AD 957)

Arab traveller
Has given account of India in his book ‘Muruj- ul-Zehab’
The book discusses India's political, economic and religious history.

Al-beruni (1024-1030 A.D.)

Persian scholar.
He came to India along with Mahmud of Ghazni.
He was the first muslim scholar to study India.
He wrote the book 'Tahqiq-i-Hind'.
Considered the Father of Indology.

Marco Polo (1292-94)

Italian mercantile trader-explorer.

He visited Southern India during the reign of Rudramma Devi of the Kakatiyas.
Visited South India also during the reign of Pandyan ruler of Madurai, Madverman,
Kulshekhara (1272-1311)
His work “The Book of Sir Marco Polo” which gives an invaluable account of the
economic history of India.

Ibn Battuta (1333 to 1342)

Moroccan traveller.
Visited India during the reign of Muhammad-Bin-Tughlaq.
Appointed as judge by Tughlaq.
His book 'The Travels' details about the much-mocked administrative reforms of Delhi
Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq.
His book “ Rehla” (the travelogue)

Shihabuddin al-Umari (1348 A.D.)

 Came from Damascus
He gives a vivid account of India in his book “ Masalik albsar fi-mamalik al-amsar”

Nicolo Conti (1420-1421 A.D.)

Venetian traveler
Came during the rule of Devraya I of Sangam Dynasty of Vijayanagar empire.
Given a graphic account of Vijayanagara’s capital.

Abdur Razzaq (1443-1444 A.D.)

Persian traveller, Ambassador of Shahrukh of Timurid dynasty.

Came during the rule of Devraya II of Vijaynagar Empire.
Stayed in India at the palace of the Zamorin of Kozhikode, Calicut
His book entitled 'Matla-us-Sadain wa Majma-ul-Bahrain' described the life and events in
Calicut under the Zamorin and also of the Ancient City of Vijayanagara at Hampi.

Athanasius Nikitin (1470- 1474 A.D.)

Russian merchant
Visited South India
Describes the condition of the Bahmani kingdom under Muhammad III (1463-82).
His narrative “The journey beyond 3 seas”
Duarte Barbosa (AD 1500)

Portuguese voyager
Stayed in India for 16 years, most of the time in Kerala and in Vijayanagara dynasty.
Barbosa studied Malayalam and has written about the caste culture that prevailed here
as also about the social life.
He wrote the 'Book of Duarte Barbosa.'

Domingo Paes (1520-1522 A.D.)

Portuguese traveler.
Visited the court of Krishnadeva Raya of Tuluv dynasty of Vijayanagar empire.Fernao
Nuniz (1535-1537 A.D.)

Portuguese merchant.
Visited during the rule of Achyutdeva Raya of Tuluv dynasty of Vijayanagar Empire.
Wrote history of the empire from its earliest times.

John Hughen Von Linschotten (1583 A.D.)

Dutch traveler
Given a valuable account of the social and economic life of South India.

William Hawkins (AD1608 to 1611)

Britain's King James I had sent Hawkins as ambassador to the Mughal palace of Emperor
Jahangeer.
Captain William Hawkins led the first expedition of the English East India Company to
India in 1609.
He did not succeed in getting Jahangir’s permission to start a factory.

Thomas Coryat (1612-1617 AD)

English traveller
Under Reign: Jahangir

Pal Canning(1615-1625)

English traveller
 Visited under the reign of Jahangir

Sir Thomas Roe (1615-1619 A.D.)

Ambassador of James I, king of England.

Visited during the reign of Jahangir,the great Mughal Emperor.
He came to seek protection for an English factory at Surat.
His “Journal of the Mission to the Mughal Empire” is a treasured contribution to the
history of India.

Edward Terry (1616 A.D.)

Ambassador of Thomas Roe.

Describe about Indian social (Gujarat) behaviour.

Pietra Della Velle (1622-1660 AD)

Italian Traveller
Under Reign (Ruler or Dynasty): Jahangir

Franciso Palsaer (1620-1627 A.D.)

Dutch traveller stayed at Agra.

Gave a vivid account of the flourishing trade at Surat, Ahmadabad, Broach, Cambay,
Lahore, Multan etc.

John Fryer (1627-1681 AD)

English Traveller
Reign (Ruler or Dynasty): Shahjahan
Given a vivid account of Surat and Bombay

Peter Mundy (1630-34 A.D.)

Italian traveler
Visited during the reign of the Mughal Emperor, Shahjahan.
Gives valuable information about the living standard of the common people in the
Mughal Empire.
John Albert de Mandesto (1638 A.D.)

German traveler

Jeen Baptiste Tavernier (1638-1663 A.D.)

French traveler
Visited India 6 times in the reign of Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.

Nicolao Manucci (1653-1708 A.D.)

Italian traveler
Got service at the court of Dara Shikoh

Francois Bernier (1656- 1717 A.D.)

French physician and Philosopher.

He visited India during the reign of Shah Jahan.
Danishamand Khan, a noble of Aurangzeb was his patron.
‘Travels in the Mughal Empire’ was written by Francois Bernier.
The book mainly talks about the rules of Dara Shikoh and Aurangzeb.

Jean de Thevenot (1666 A.D.)

French traveler
Given an account of cities like Ahmadabad, Cambay, Aurangabad and Golconda.

Gemelli Careri (1695 A.D.)

Italian traveler who landed at Daman.

His remarks on the Mughal emperor’s military organisation and administration are
important.
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