RAS question
Ibn Battuta visited India during the reign of:
Correct answer: (C) Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Ibn Battuta visited India during the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Explanation
Ibn Battuta reached India in 1333 and served under Muhammad bin Tughlaq, the Delhi Sultan. Britannica's account of his time in India identifies India's ruler as Muhammad ibn Tughluq and notes that Ibn Battuta was received with honours and gifts before being appointed grand qadi of Delhi, a post he held for several years. Muhammad bin Tughlaq is therefore the relevant ruler for Ibn Battuta's Indian stay, which was not merely a passing visit but part of the Tughlaq court world. His Rihla is valuable because it records Indian society and Tughlaq administration from the perspective of a contemporary traveller who saw both the splendour and dangers of the Sultan's rule.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Alauddin Khalji died in 1316, before Ibn Battuta's 1333 arrival in India, so his reign cannot be the setting of the visit.
- (B) Sikandar Lodi belongs to a much later phase, while Ibn Battuta was in India under Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
- (D) Firoz Shah Tughlaq is wrong because Ibn Battuta had left before Firoz Shah's reign, while his Indian service was under Muhammad bin Tughlaq.
Concept
Medieval Indian history often connects foreign travellers with their court contexts. RAS repeats such questions because travel accounts like the Rihla help connect rulers, administration and social history.