SSC
The Chinese pilgrim Faxian (Fa-Hien) began his journey back home by sea from which region of India?
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Answer: Option A — Bengal (Tamralipti)
Detailed Solution
The Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Faxian began his journey back to China by sea from Tamralipti, a port in Bengal.
About Faxian's journey:
- He was a Chinese Buddhist monk who travelled to India in the early 5th century CE, during the reign of the Gupta emperor Chandragupta II.
- He set out from China in 399 CE, travelling overland through Central Asia.
- He visited many Buddhist places in India, such as Kapilavastu, Lumbini, Bodh Gaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, Vaishali, Pataliputra and Rajagriha.
- He stayed at Pataliputra for about three years, learning Sanskrit and copying Buddhist texts, especially texts on monastic rules (Vinaya).
- He spent two years at Tamralipti, copying texts and drawing images.
- NCERT notes that he started his journey home from Bengal, sailing on a merchant ship.
His return voyage:
- He sailed from Tamralipti to Sri Lanka, where he stayed for two years.
- From Sri Lanka, he sailed towards China, but his ship was caught in a storm, and he reached Java (or Sumatra).
- He finally reached China in 412 CE (or 414 CE).
His account:
- His travel account is called "Foguoji" ("A Record of Buddhist Kingdoms").
- He described India as a peaceful and prosperous land, where people did not need passports, and crime was rare.
- He noted that the people did not kill living creatures, drink alcohol, or eat onions or garlic, except the "Chandalas", who lived outside the towns and were treated as untouchables.
- He described free hospitals in Pataliputra.
- He was not much interested in political matters, and did not mention the name of the king.
About Tamralipti:
- It was an important port in ancient Bengal, identified with Tamluk, in the Purba Medinipur district of West Bengal.
- It was a major centre of trade with South-East Asia and Sri Lanka.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Bharuch, Muziris and Kaveripattinam were other ancient ports, but Faxian sailed from Tamralipti.
Quick tip
Remember: Faxian = visited India under Chandragupta II (399-412 CE); returned by sea from Tamralipti (Bengal) via Sri Lanka; account = "Foguoji"; described Chandalas.
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Post-Mauryan & Gupta Age — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Post-Mauryan & Gupta Age, 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 the period after the Mauryas: the Shungas, Satavahanas, Indo-Greeks, Shakas and Kushanas, followed by the Gupta Empire, often called the classical age of India, and the reign of Harshavardhana. It includes art, literature, science and administration in these periods. Exams test the rulers and their achievements (Kanishka and the fourth Buddhist council, Samudragupta's Allahabad Pillar inscription, Chandragupta II and Fa-Hien), the Gandhara and Mathura schools of art, and Gupta scholars such as Kalidasa, Aryabhata and Varahamihira. Harsha's reign is usually tested with Hiuen Tsang and Nalanda University. Practise the post-Mauryan and Gupta age 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.