Write a note on the Kitab-ul-Hind.
Al-Biruni’s Kitab-ul-Hind, was written in Arabic. It is simple and lucid. It is a voluminous text, divided into 80 chapters on subjects such as religion and philosophy, festivals, astronomy, alchemy, manners and customs, social life, weights and measures, iconography, laws and metrology.
Generally (though not always), Al-Biruni adopted a distinctive structure in each chapter, beginning with a question, following this up with a description based on Sanskritic traditions, and concluding with a comparison with other cultures.
Analyse the evidence for slavery provided by Ibn-Battuta.
What were the elements of the practice of sati that drew the attention of Bernier?
Compare and contrast the perspectives from which Ibn-Battuta and Bernier wrote their accounts of their travels in India.
