Among the following travellers who visited India as a 'diplomat' during the medieval period?

Abdur Razzaq

The correct answer is Option (3) → Abdur Razzaq

Abdur Razzaq was a Persian diplomat and traveller who visited the Vijayanagara Empire in the fifteenth century.

Women and men have travelled in search of work, to escape from natural disasters, as traders, merchants, soldiers, priests, pilgrims, or driven by a sense of adventure. Those who visit or come to stay in a new land invariably encounter a world that is different: in terms of the landscape or physical environment as well as customs, languages, beliefs and practices of people. Many of them try to adapt to these differences; others, somewhat exceptional, note them carefully in accounts, generally recording what they find unusual or remarkable. Unfortunately, we have practically no accounts of travel left by women, though we know that they travelled. The accounts that survive are often varied in terms of their subject matter. Some deal with affairs of the court, while others are mainly focused on religious issues, or architectural features and monuments. For example, one of the most important descriptions of the city of Vijayanagara in the fifteenth century comes from Abdur Razzaq Samarqandi, a diplomat who came visiting from Herat.

Here's a brief explanation of the other travellers mentioned:

Al-Biruni: Al-Biruni was a Persian scholar who visited India in the 11th century. His major work, "Kitab al-Hind," provides valuable insights into Indian culture, science, and geography during that period.

Ibn Battuta: Ibn Battuta who came from Morocco. He wrote the travelogue "Rihla," which documented his extensive travels across the Islamic world, including India and other parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Francois Bernier: Francois Bernier was a French physician and traveler who visited India during the 17 th century. He provided a detailed account of the working of the imperial Karkhanas or workshops. He also described Mughal cities as "camp towns", by which he meant towns that owed their existence, and depended for their survival on the imperial camp.