✈️ Travellers Who Visited India (Ancient & Medieval Times) – UPSC Notes

Travellers from across the world visited India in ancient and medieval times, leaving behind detailed accounts of polity, economy, culture, and society. These travelogues are considered primary sources for Indian history and are frequently asked in UPSC CSE Prelims & Mains.

🏺 Ancient Period Travellers

1. Megasthenes (Greek, 4th century BCE) Ambassador of Seleucus Nikator to Chandragupta Maurya’s court.
   Book: Indica.
   Notes: Mauryan administration, Pataliputra, social classes.
   Mnemonic 👉 “Mega Maurya Indica” (Megasthenes – Maurya – Indica).
2. Fa-Hien (Chinese, 5th century CE) Came during Gupta Empire (Chandragupta II). Purpose: Collect Buddhist texts.
   Book: Fo-Kuo-Ki.
   Notes: Buddhism, caste rigidity, prosperity of Gupta society.
   Mnemonic 👉 “Fa-Hien for Faith (Buddhism) in Gupta India”.
3. Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang, Chinese, 7th century CE) Came during Harsha’s reign.
   Book: Si-Yu-Ki (Records of the Western World).
   Notes: Nalanda University, Buddhism, Harsha’s generosity.
   Mnemonic 👉 “Hi-Harsha-Si” (Hiuen Tsang – Harsha – Si-Yu-Ki).
4. Itsing / Yijing (Chinese, 7th century CE) Visited after Hiuen Tsang, studied at Nalanda University.
   Purpose: Translate Buddhist scriptures.
   Book: A Record of Buddhist Religion.
   Notes: Monastic discipline, Nalanda’s education system.
   Mnemonic 👉 “I sing in Nalanda”.
5. Al-Biruni (Persian, 11th century CE) Came with Mahmud of Ghazni.
   Book: Kitab-ul-Hind.
   Notes: Hindu philosophy, science, customs, caste system.
   Mnemonic 👉 “Al Biruni wrote All about Hindus”.

⚔️ Medieval Period Travellers

6. Ibn Battuta (Moroccan, 14th century CE) Came during Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq’s reign.
   Book: Rihla.
   Notes: Administration, postal system, Sultan’s eccentricities.
   Mnemonic 👉 “Ibn Battuta’s Rihla Records Tughlaq” (Updated for clarity).
7. Nicolo Conti (Italian, 15th century CE) Travelled during Vijayanagar Empire.
   Notes: Trade, Hindu society, city planning.
   Mnemonic 👉 “Conti Counted Vijayanagar’s riches”.
8. Abdur Razzaq (Persian, 15th century CE) Persian ambassador to Vijayanagar.
   Notes: Deva Raya II’s court and prosperity.
   Mnemonic 👉 “Razzaq → Raya”.
9. Duarte Barbosa (Portuguese, 16th century CE) Observed Malabar coast & Kerala society.
   Book: Book of Duarte Barbosa.
   Mnemonic 👉 “Barbosa on the Malabar Coast”.
10. Domingo Paes (Portuguese, 16th century CE) Visited during Krishna Deva Raya (Vijayanagar).
    Notes: Hampi, military, economy.
    Mnemonic 👉 “Paes Praised Vijayanagar”.
11. Francois Bernier (French, 17th century CE) Physician in Aurangzeb’s court.
    Book: Travels in the Mughal Empire.
    Notes: Mughal economy, land revenue system.
    Mnemonic 👉 “Bernier in Badshah Aurangzeb’s court”.
12. Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (French, 17th century CE) Jewel merchant during Shah Jahan’s reign.
    Book: Travels in India.
    Notes: Diamonds, Mughal wealth.
    Mnemonic 👉 “Tavernier → Tavern full of Diamonds”.
13. Niccolao Manucci (Italian, 17th century CE)
    Book: Storia do Mogor.
    Notes: Mughal court politics, nobles, wars.
    Mnemonic 👉 “Manucci wrote Mogor’s Story”.

🔑 Quick Revision Table (UPSC Prelims)

🎯 Mnemonic for Key Books

• Indica – Mega Maurya
• Fo-Kuo-Ki – Fa for Faith (Buddhism)
• Si-Yu-Ki – Hi-Harsha-Si
• A Record of Buddhist Religion – I-sing in Nalanda
• Kitab-ul-Hind – All about Hindus
• Rihla – Ibn Battuta’s Tughlaq Journey
• Travels in the Mughal Empire – Bernier’s Mughal Diary
• Travels in India – Tavernier’s Diamond Tales
• Storia do Mogor – Manucci’s Mogor Story