SSC
The Arab merchant-traveller Sulaiman (Sulaiman al-Tajir) visited India in the:
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Answer: Option A — 9th century
Detailed Solution
The Arab merchant and traveller Sulaiman (Sulaiman al-Tajir, "Sulaiman the merchant") visited India in the 9th century CE (around 851 CE).
About Sulaiman:
- He was an Arab merchant from the Persian Gulf region, who travelled to India and China for trade.
- His account, written around 851 CE, is known as "Akhbar al-Sin wal-Hind" ("Accounts of China and India").
- It is one of the earliest Arab accounts of India and China.
What he wrote about India:
He described the kingdoms of India at that time, including the Rashtrakutas, the Gurjara-Pratiharas and the Palas.
He described the Rashtrakuta king (whom he called the "Balhara", from "Vallabharaja") as one of the four greatest kings of the world, along with the Caliph of Baghdad, the emperor of China and the emperor of Byzantium (Rome).
He described the Gurjara-Pratihara king (the "king of Juzr") as having a large cavalry, and as being hostile to the Arabs.
He described the Pala kingdom (the "kingdom of Ruhmi") as having a large army.
He noted that Indians used cowries as money, and that there was much gold and silver in some kingdoms.
He also wrote about Indian customs, religion and the caste system.
Other Arab and Persian travellers to India:
- "Al-Masudi" (10th century): a historian and geographer from Baghdad, who visited India around 915-916 CE and wrote "Muruj al-Dhahab" ("Meadows of Gold").
- "Ibn Khurdadbih" (9th century): a geographer.
- "Al-Biruni" (11th century): a scholar from Central Asia.
- "Al-Idrisi" (12th century): a geographer at the court of Sicily.
- "Ibn Battuta" (14th century): a Moroccan traveller who visited India during the Delhi Sultanate.
Importance:
Arab accounts are important sources for the history of early medieval India, especially for the political situation and trade.
Why not the other options?
- ✗The 6th century is too early.
- ✗The 12th and 14th centuries are when other travellers visited India.
Quick tip
Remember: Sulaiman (Arab merchant) = 9th century (about 851 CE); called the Rashtrakuta king "Balhara", one of the four greatest kings; Al-Masudi = 10th century; Ibn Battuta = 14th century.
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Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers India from about the 7th to the 12th century: the Rajput dynasties, the tripartite struggle between the Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas, and the South Indian kingdoms of the Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas and Pandyas, along with the Sangam age and the temple architecture of the period. Questions often ask which dynasty built a temple (the Pallavas built the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, and Rajaraja Chola I built the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur), the capitals of dynasties, and the local self-government of the Cholas. Learning each dynasty with its capital, greatest ruler and one monument is the quickest way to answer these questions. Practise the early medieval India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.