We studied ancient Indian history last
year. This year, we are going to study
the medieval period of Indian history.
Broadly, the period from the ninth century
ce till the end of the eighteenth century
ce is considered to be the medieval period
of Indian history. In this lesson, we are
going to study the sources of medieval
history.
History gives us a chronological,
scientific and systematic account of past
events.
Four factors are very important from
the viewpoint of history. They are -
Individuals, Society, Place and Time.
History must be based on authentic
evidence or proofs. These proofs are
known as the sources of history.
Let us classify these sources into
material sources, written sources and oral
sources to learn more about them. Let us
also evaluate the sources of history.
We have to consider many factors
related to the historical event that we
want to study. It is necessary to support
our study with historical sources. These
sources have to be verified. We have to
see whether they are authentic. It is
necessary to use these sources judiciously
and only after a critical analysis.
Forts have an important place among
material sources. Some major types of
forts are hill forts, forest forts, sea forts
and forts on the plains. Monuments
include samadhis, graves, veergala and
buildings include palaces, ministerial
mansions, Queen's quarters (raniwasa)
and also houses of common people. They
How do coins narrate history?
Since ancient times, coins like
kavadi, damadi, dhela, pai, paisa, ana
and rupee were used. Some local
idioms or proverbs are based on coins.
For example;
* ‘एक फुटकी कवडी देणार नाही.’ Here
phutaki kavadi means ‘the lowest bit
of money’.
* सोलह आना सच! means ‘Hundred
percent true !’
Physical
Sources
Forts
Memorials
Buildings
Cave
Sculptures
Inscriptions
Copper
Plates
Coins
Material Sources
all provide insights about that period.
Looking at them, we come to know about
the development of architecture, the
economic conditions, the quality of art,
style of the building construction and
people's standard of living in that
particular period.
Can you tell ?
Let’s learn.
The coins made by different rulers
using metals like gold, silver, copper are
important sources of history. From these
coins we learn about the rulers, their
period, governance, religious ideapersonal details, etc. Similarly, we also
learn about the financial transactions and
economic conditions prevailing at that
time. We also see how far metallurgy had
advanced in that period. From the images
of Ram-Sita on the coins of Emperor
Akbar or Shiva Parvati on the coins of
Hyder Ali we see the religious
co-ordination of those days. The Peshwas
used the Arabic or Persian language on
their coins. This throws light on the use
of language in that period.
An inscription is a carving on a
stone, or a wall etc. For example, the
inscriptions found in the Brihadishwara
temple premises in Tanjavur. Many
inscriptions of the period of ChalukyaRashtrakuta, Chola and Yadav kings have
been found. An inscription is considered
to be a very important and reliable source
of history. It helps us to understand
features like the language, script, social
life of a period. Inscriptions carved on
sheets of copper are known as ‘copper
plates’. Royal edicts, verdicts, etc. are
inscribed on copper plates.
Chaityas, Viharas, temples,
churches, mosques, agiaries, durgahs,
mukbaras, gurudwaras, monuments,
sculptures, wells, minarets, village
boundaries and gates, weapons, utensils,
ornaments, clothes, decorative articles,
toys, implements, musical instruments
are all material sources of history.
Written Sources : We learn about
significant historical events in the medieval
period from sources like the writing styles
of scripts like, Devanagari, Arabic,
Persian, Modi etc. as also from the
varieties of different languages, bhurjapatras, religious manuscripts, treatises,
edicts, decrees, biographies, paintings, etc.
We can gather information about the food
items, attire, conventions and rules of
conduct of the people, festivals and about
people’s life etc. from these sources.
Sources of this type are called ‘written
sources’ of history.
Veergala
Written Sources
Documents of
proceedings in
the courts of
kings
Geneologies,
Shakavali
Correspondence,
Dispatches
Judicial
Verdicts,
Orders
Travelogues
of foreign
travellers
Chronicles,
TavarikhDuring this period, travellers from
other countries came to India. They have
written travelogues or accounts of their
travels. Some of them are Al Biruni, Ibn
Batuta, Niccolao Manucci. Babur’s
biography, ‘Shrishivbharat’ or the Sanskrit
biography of Shivaji Maharaj composed
by the poet Paramanand as well as
various other biographies of different
rulers and their correspondence help us to
understand the policies and administrative
systems of the rulers and their diplomatic
relations with others.
Tavarikh or Tarikh means the
sequence of events. Tavarikhs written by
Al Biruni, Ziauddin Barani, Maulana
Ahmed, Yahya Bin Ahmed, Mirza Hyder,
Bhimsen Saxena, etc. are available.
Bakhar is a type of chronicle that
originated in Maharashtra. Chronicles
help in understanding aspects like the
contemporary political happenings,
linguistic transactions, cultural life, social
conditions, etc. Many of the chronicles in
Marathi were written many years after
the events had occurred. As a result, they
are seen to rely on hearsays. Some of
these chronicles are Mahikavatichi Bakhar,
Sabhasad Bakhar, Chitnisachi Bakhar,
Bhausahebachi Bakhar, etc. The works of
contemporary western historians like
Robert Arm, M.C.Sprengel and Grant
Duff are also important.
Make a collection of powadas, tribal
songs.
Present them in the cultural
programmes arranged in your school.
Do this.
Oral sources : We understand various
aspects of folk life through folk literature
traditionally passed on from generation to
generation. Some examples are - owis,
folk songs, powadas, folk tales, legends,
and myths. Such type of sources are
called ‘oral sources’ of history.
History is written with the help of the
three types of sources mentioned above.
Even after it has been written down,
research on it goes on continuously. New
sources and information come to light
through this research. Then history has to
be rewritten accordingly. We can see that
our history books and those of our parents
and grandparents, differ to a certain
extent.Evaluating the sources of history :
It is necessary to take certain precautions
before using these sources of history. We
have to examine their authenticity and
see which are genuine and which are
fake. Their quality can be determined
with the help of internal standards. We
also have to study the integrity of the
writers, their personal interests, the period
in which they live and the political
pressures on them. It is also important to
see whether they rely on hearsay or give
an eyewitness account. We need to
consider the exaggerations, metaphors
and other literary devices they use. Their
information has to be verified with the
help of other contemporary sources. The
information may be one sided,
contradictory or exaggerated. It has to be
seen in a proper perspective. The sources
have to be subjected to a critical analysis.
The author’s impartiality and neutrality
are very important in writing history
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