Have you ever worn Ibn Battuta's shoes out of children's mouths in a storm.
You must have heard that it was the same Ibn Batuta that we will talk about today.
- What was Ibn Battuta motivation?
- What challenges did Ibn Battuta face?
- Which country did Ibn Battuta visit India?
- How many times did Ibn Battuta go on hajj?
- Why did Ibn Battuta travel?
Ibn Battuta was born on 24 February 1304 (14 Rajab 703 Hijri) to the Qazi family of Marrakish (Morocco). The full name of Ibn Battuta, known for the long journey, is also much longer than the common names: Ibn Batuta Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ibrahim Allawati Altanji Abu Abdullah.
When Ibn Battuta left Morocco, only Haj intended but the thrill of the journey encouraged him to move forward.
You can guess Ibn Battuta's journey from the fact that he spent the entire 30 years of his life traveling in Africa, Europe, Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. He traveled all over 44 countries covering a distance of 75000 mills.
His travelogue written in Arabic language by Ibn Batuta called Rihla gives very rich and interesting information about the social and cultural life of the Indian subcontinent in the fourteenth century. This Moroccan traveler was born in one of the most respected and educated families in Tangier, famous for their expertise on Islamic law or Sharia. According to the tradition of his family, Ibn Batuta attained literary and scriptural education at an early age. Unlike the other members of his category, Ibn Batuta considered the experience gained from travel in place of books to be a more important source of knowledge. He was very fond of traveling and went to far-off areas to learn about new countries and people. Before departing for India in 1332–33, he had made pilgrimage visits to Mecca and several coastal trading ports in Syria, Iraq, Persia, Yemen, Oman, and East Africa.
Batuta met two sadhus during his visit to Saudi Arabia. These sadhus praised the countries of the East. After hearing about the east, he realized that this is the land of the denomination of religion and faith. In 1333, Ibn Batuta reached the landmark via the route of Central Asia. He had heard about the Sultan of Delhi, Muhammad bin Tughlaq and, attracted by his reputation as a compassionate patron of art and literature, Batuta proceeded to Delhi via Multan and Uchch.
At that time, Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq ruled in Delhi. Tughlaq had already heard about Ibn Battuta. On reaching Delhi, Batuta was well-received and was honored with many gifts. Batuta was given the rank of Qazi-i-Ala in the capital. Tughlaq liked the way Batuta worked.
He held this position for many years but then lost faith and was imprisoned in prison. Later, after the misunderstandings between the Sultan and him were removed, he was restored to state service and in 1342 AD, the Mongol ruler was ordered to go to China as the Sultan's envoy. With his new appointment, Ibn Battuta proceeded to the Malabar Coast via Central India. From Malabar he went to the Maldives where he held the position of Vafaji for eighteen months but eventually decided to go to Sri Lanka. Later, he once again went to the Malabar Coast and the Maldives and also visited Bengal and Assam before resuming his work on going to China. He went to Sumatra by ship and another ship from Sumatra to the Chinese port city Jaitun, now known as Quanzhu. He traveled widely in China and traveled to Beijing but did not stay there for long. In 1347 he decided to return home. His account of China is compared to the account of Marcopolo who traveled from Venice to China and India at the end of the thirteenth century.
Ibn Battuta recorded his opinion carefully and efficiently about new cultures, people, beliefs, beliefs etc. We have to keep in mind that this world-traveler was traveling in the fourteenth century when traveling was a more difficult and risky task than today. According to Ibn Battuta, it took forty days to travel from Multan to Delhi and about fifty days from Sindh to Delhi. The distance from Daulatabad to Delhi could be forty, while the distance from Gwalior to Delhi could be covered in ten days. Traveling was also more unsafe, with Ibn Battuta having suffered attacks by groups of bandits several times. Even he preferred to go with his companions in caravans, but this could not stop the robbers of the highways. During his journey from Multan to Delhi, his caravan was attacked and many of his fellow travelers lost their lives: those who survived, including Ibn Battuta, were badly injured.
In such a situation, thinking that it was futile to go to China by way of ocean, he started traveling by landfall and reached China wandering in the regions of Lanka, Bengal etc. But perhaps he did not go to the court of Mongol Khan. After this he traveled to Muslim places of West Asia, North Africa and Spain and finally to Timbukt etc. He returned to Morocco's capital "Phase" in early 1357.
He estimated to have traveled about 75,000 miles. Hardly any other traveler of that era has traveled so long. Returning to the "phase", he narrated his journey to the Sultan. On the order of the Sultan, his secretary Muhammad ibn Juza'i wrote him. Ibn Battuta spent the rest of his life in his country. Batuta died in AD 1377 (779 Hijri). Ibn Battuta's travelogue was named "Tuhfatl Najjar Phi Gharayb Al Amasar and Ajayb Al Afsar". . Extremely useful material of the then Indian history is found in his travelogue.
This book mentions the history and geographical conditions of many countries of the medieval world. Its manuscript is preserved in the National Library of Paris. The manuscript has been edited by De Frameri and Sangineti. This manuscript was found in 1836 in Tanjiyar. It was translated into French in four sections.
Poem Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena's poem 'Batuta's Shoe'
If you haven't heard then read today
Ibn batuta
Out in the storm,
Some air entered the nose
Got into a little ear.
Sometimes to the nose, sometimes to the ear
Malate ibn Battuta
Got out in the meantime
The shoe of their feet.
His flying shoe
Reached Japan
Ibn Battuta stood still
Shoemaker shop
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