Why are the accounts of foreign travellers considered as authentic sources of information about that perio
Answers
Explanation:
A vivid impression about the life in ancient Indian society can be gleaned from the contemporary literary creations. The Arthashastra of Kautilya, Sakuntala of Kalidas or the Panchatantra of Vishnu Sharma, every piece of literature of the past transports us back to those times.
Non-Religious Texts : Foreign Travellers’ Accounts
Namaskar and welcome once again to the story of our fabulous land - India.
India was sometimes called a ‘Golden Bird’ – or Sone Ki Chidiya. This appellation not only reflected its material riches but also the richness of its spiritual attainments. Both these allurements attracted the fortune seekers from far and wide. Some came to this mysterious land to acquire wealth and riches, while others came to attain knowledge and spiritual salvation. India, in its turn, never disappointed its visitors.
Some of these visitors have left a first hand account of the places they visited, people they met, events they witnessed and the experiences they underwent. All these accounts are a treasure-trove of information – a boon to the chronicler of the past.
The oldest accounts of India which have come down to us from abroad are of the Greeks. But although India figures in the writings of Herodotus and Ctesias, these consist largely of incredible tales. The most realistic and perhaps the most important of these is Indica by Meagasthenes.
Meagasthenes was an ambassador sent by Seleucus Nikator, a general of the Alexander the Great, to the court of Chandragupta Maurya. Meagasthenes resided at Pataliputra, near modern Patna, and also travelled around the country. He describes India’s two largest rivers – Sindhu and the Ganga; roads that were provided with shady trees and rest-houses; trees that grew in India, especially the great Banyan tree, the branches of which grew downwards and took root; the fertile land and the ambient climate; animal life, particularly the tiger, langur, talking parrots, horses and elephants. In fact Meagasthenes goes on to narrate how the wild elephants were caught and trained in the art of warfare.