Compare and contrast the perspectives from which Ibn Batuta and Al Biruni wrote their travel accounts in India.

The accounts of Ibn Battuta and Al Biruni were written from different perspectives. A detailed comparison is given below:

a. Ibn Battuta wrote the account of his travels in his book ‘Rihla’.

b. He traveled extensively in India, central Asia and lived at the court of Muhammad bin Tughluq.

c. He wrote about those things that he was unfamiliar with like the ‘coconut’ and the ‘paan’ in detail.

d. He also wrote about the market, the Postal System, about the city Delhi and the condition of the slaves.

e. He recorded his observations about new cultures, people and values.

f. Al Biruni wrote about the Indian religion, philosophy and the caste system.

g. He considered his work as a form of help to those who wanted to discuss religious questions and as a provider of information to those who wanted to associate with it. He wanted to give a glimpse of the Indian religion and culture to the world.