Ibn Battuta

(1304-1369?)

   Abu 'Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta was born in Tangier (Morocco) in 1304 and belonged to a Berber clan settled in that place. After completing his education at the age of 21 (i.e., around 1325), he proceeded to Mecca. From there, Ibn Battuta traveled to India and reached Delhi in 1333. At Delhi, he was ap-pointed a qazi, in which position he served during the next seven years. During this time, Ibn Battuta accompanied Muhammad bin Tughlaq on his different expeditions, including one leading to his prolonged stay at Swargadwari. In 1442, on being ordered to pro-ceed to the court of the Mongol emperor of China as Muhammad bin Tughlaq's envoy, he traveled from Delhi to Peking via Coromandal, Malabar, and Ceylon. During his return journey, instead of returning to Delhi, he proceeded directly to Tangier. Ibn Battuta is reported to have died in Tangier around 1369 or 1377. His celebrated travelogue, Tuhfat al-nuzza or A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling (popularly known as Rihla or Journey), furnishes interesting information on India, particularly on happenings at Muhammad bin Tughlaq's court between 1433 and 1442.