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LIST OF FOREIGN TRAVELLERS TO INDIA

29th April, 2021

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.