NCERT Solutions for Class 12 History Chapter 5: Through The Eyes Of Travellers

1. Write a note on the Kitab-ul-Hind.

Answer: Kitab-ul-Hind was written by Al-Biruni in 1031. It is also known as Tarikh-ul-Hind or Tahqiq-ma-ul-Hind and was written in Arabic. The book has 80 chapters that describe India in detail. Al-Biruni wrote about Hindu religion and philosophy, festivals, customs, traditions, and the social, economic, and political life of the people.

In every chapter, he started with a question, then explained the topic using ideas from Sanskrit texts, and finally compared Indian culture with other cultures. He followed a clear and organized structure in his writing, which reflected his strong background in mathematics.

2. Compare and contrast the perspectives from which Ibn Battuta and Bernier wrote their accounts of their travels in India.

Answer: Ibn Battuta was an early world traveller who believed that learning through experience was more valuable than reading books. He carefully noted everything he saw about different cultures, people, beliefs, and customs. He enjoyed visiting big cities where people spoke many languages like Arabic, Persian, and Turkish, and freely shared ideas and stories.

In his writings, he often described things that were new or surprising to his readers so they could imagine faraway places. For example, he talked about coconuts and paan, which were unknown to many of his readers. Ibn Battuta wrote about everything that amazed or interested him because it was new and exciting.

Francois Bernier came from a different way of thinking. He compared what he saw in India with what he knew about Europe, especially France. He focused on things in India that he thought were unpleasant or backward. His aim was to influence European thinkers and leaders so they would make what he believed were better decisions.

Bernier often compared Mughal India to Europe and claimed that Europe was more advanced. He described India and Europe as opposites, showing India as the reverse of Europe. He also ranked the differences between the two, making India seem less developed and inferior to the Western world.

3. Discuss the picture of urban centres that emerges from Bernier’s account. 

Answer: During the 17th century, about 15% of India’s population lived in towns — a figure similar to that of Western Europe at the time. Bernier described Mughal towns as “court towns,” meaning they depended on the royal court for their growth and survival. When the imperial court moved to another place, these towns often declined.

In his travel writings, Bernier mentioned several major cities such as Delhi, Mathura, Kashmir, Surat, Masulipatnam, and Golconda. These cities were important as centres of trade, manufacturing, and religion. Merchant communities played a strong role in urban life and were well-organised through their caste and professional groups. In western India, these trading groups were called Mahajans, and their leader was known as the Sheth. In Ahmedabad, the head of the merchant community was called the Nagarsheth. Apart from merchants, towns also had musicians, architects, painters, lawyers, and calligraphers, making them vibrant centres of culture and economy.

4. Analyse the evidence for slavery provided by Ibn Battuta

Answer: Ibn Battuta wrote in detail about the practice of slavery in India during his time. Under Delhi Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq, there were a large number of slaves. Many of them were captured during wars, while others were sold by their families because of extreme poverty. Slaves were also given as gifts. When Battuta visited the Sultan, he brought horses, camels, and slaves as presents. The Sultan himself once gifted two hundred slaves to a religious teacher named Nasiruddin.

Nobles of that period also kept slaves. The Sultan used these slaves to gather information about the activities of the nobles and important events happening in the empire.

Female slaves usually worked as domestic servants in the houses of the rich and noble families. Some of them even reported to the Sultan about their masters’ activities. Most slaves did household work, and there was a clear difference in status between ordinary household slaves and those who served in the royal court.

5. What were the elements of the practice of sati that drew the attention of Bernier? 

Answer: According to Bernier, the practice of sati showed a clear difference in how women were treated in Eastern and Western societies. He observed that young widows were often forced to burn themselves alive on their husband’s funeral pyre, crying and struggling, while older widows accepted their fate helplessly.

Bernier noted several things about this cruel custom:

(i) A living widow was made to sit on her husband’s funeral pyre against her will.

(ii) People around her showed little or no sympathy.

(iii) The widow was not a willing participant but a victim who was forced to become a sati.

6. Discuss Al-Biruni’s understanding of the caste system.

Answer: Al-Biruni tried to understand the Indian caste system by comparing it with social divisions in other parts of the world. He explained that, in ancient Persia, there were also four main social groups:

(i) knights and princes,

(ii) monks,

(iii) fire-priests, lawyers, physicians, and scientists, and

(iv) peasants and artisans.

Through this comparison, Al-Biruni suggested that dividing people into groups based on their work or status was not unique to India.

His understanding of the Indian caste system was based mainly on Sanskrit texts. According to these texts, Brahmins were considered the highest caste, believed to have been created from the head of the creator. The Kshatriyas came next, created from the arms and shoulders, followed by the Vaishyas from the thighs, and the Shudras from the feet.

Although Al-Biruni accepted that such divisions existed, he strongly disagreed with the idea of pollution the belief that contact with lower castes made a person impure. He argued that, in nature, anything impure eventually becomes pure again, just as the sun cleanses the air. Therefore, he felt that the caste system’s belief in permanent impurity went against the laws of nature.

However, Al-Biruni misunderstood one aspect: he believed the caste system was very rigid, while in reality, it was more flexible than described in the Sanskrit texts.

7. 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. 

Answer: Ibn Battuta observed that cities in India were full of opportunities for people who had the ambition, skills, and resources to succeed. He found them crowded, lively, and prosperous, though sometimes affected by wars and invasions. According to him, most cities had narrow, busy streets and colourful markets. He described Delhi as a huge city with a massive population, calling it the largest in India. He noted, “The rampart around the city is without parallel. It has many towers and twenty-eight gates called darwaza.” The bazaars, he said, were centres of trade, social gatherings, and cultural exchange.

Battuta’s description helps us understand urban life during that period because it closely matches what we still see in older Indian cities today—crowded streets, busy markets, and a wide range of goods. Delhi, both then and now, remains a vast and vibrant city with markets full of variety.

When Ibn Battuta arrived in Delhi in the 14th century, India was already connected to a vast global network of trade and communication stretching from China in the east to North Africa and Europe in the west. India’s fertile land made agriculture highly productive, and the surplus from villages supported the prosperity of towns. Indian goods, especially textiles, were in great demand across West Asia and Southeast Asia, bringing huge profits to merchants and artisans.

8. Discuss the extent to which Bernier’s account enables historians to reconstruct contemporary rural society

Answer: Bernier’s view of Indian rural society was not completely accurate and often reflected his European bias. However, some parts of his observations did contain a bit of truth.

(i) He wrote that the Mughal emperor owned all the land and distributed it among nobles. This, he believed, had a harmful effect on society because it gave too much power to the ruling class.

(ii) Bernier thought that since nobles could not pass their land to their children, they had no reason to make long-term improvements or investments in it.

(iii) Because private land ownership did not exist, he felt that the agricultural system suffered and peasants remained poor and oppressed.

According to Bernier, Indian society had a few key features:

The rich formed a small minority.

There was a wide gap between the rich and the poor, with almost no middle class.

He described the cities as overcrowded and dirty, with polluted air.

Although Bernier’s account was biased and often exaggerated, it still provides some insight into how European travelers viewed India during the Mughal period.

9. Read this excerpt from Bernier:

Numerous are the instances of handsome pieces of workmanship made by persons destitute of tools, and who can scarcely 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 fowling pieces, and such beautiful gold ornaments that it may be doubted if the exquisite workmanship of those articles can be 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 these with the descriptions of artisanal activity in the chapter. 

Answer: I. Names of the Crafts Mentioned in the Passage

In the passage, crafts such as musket-making (gun making) and gold ornament making are mentioned. These items were crafted with great skill and beauty. Bernier was deeply impressed by the fine workmanship and artistic quality of these products.

II. Comparison of Crafts in the Passage with Those Described in the Chapter

(i) The chapter also talks about other important crafts such as boat manufacturing, terracotta sculpture, and temple architecture.

(ii) It refers to the art of painting, showcasing India’s creative traditions.

(iii) The art of carpet weaving is also mentioned as a famous craft.

(iv) Dance, music, and calligraphy are highlighted as major forms of artistic expression.

(v) There is also a description of Rajal Khamos, showing the diversity of artistic and cultural achievements in India.

Map Work

10. On an outline map of the world mark the countries visited by Ibn Battuta. What are the seas that he may have crossed?

Answer: Countries visited by Ibn Battuta:

(i) Morocco

(ii) Mecca

(iii) Syria

(iv) Iraq

(v) Persia

(vi) Yamen

(vii) Oman

(viii) China

(ix) India

(x) Maldives

(xi) Sri Lanka

(xii) Sumatra (Indonesia)

Name of Seas:

(i) North Atlantic Ocean

(ii) South Atlantic Ocean

(iii) Indian Ocean

(iv) Red Sea

(v) Arabian Sea

(vi) Bay of Bengal

(vii) South China Sea

(viii) East China Sea.

Projects (choose one)

11.  Interview any one of your older relatives (mother/ father/grandparents/uncles/aunts) who has travelled outside your town or village. Find out (a) where they went, (b) how they travelled, (c) how long did it take, (d) why did they travel (e) and did they face any difficulties. List as many similarities and differences that they may have noticed between their place of residence and the place they visited, focusing on language, clothes, food, customs, buildings, roads, the lives of men and women. Write a report on your findings.

12. 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.

NCERT Solutions Class 12 History Chapter 5: Exploring the Perspectives of Travellers

The chapter Through the Eyes of Travellers introduces students to the rich experiences of Al-Biruni, Ibn Battuta, and François Bernier. Understanding their unique perspectives helps you grasp the diversity and complexity of Indian society during different historical periods.

Make the most out of your NCERT solutions Class 12 History Chapter 5 by actively engaging with the chapter’s case studies. Focus on key events, comparisons, and the reasons behind different interpretations to enhance your conceptual clarity for exams.

For scoring high, regularly review important terms like Kitab-ul-Hind and Rihla. Practicing the chapter’s exercises ensures you understand core analysis skills and develop a strong foundation for future History chapters in the 2025-26 curriculum.