DELHI SULTANATES

 

DELHI SULTANATES

            As we know from our previous posts, Delhi sultanates were of Turkish origin and their leader was Khalifa and we known about their dynasties. In this post, we are going to know about their Trade/ Business, Architecture, Education and some other historical facts and information of Delhi Sultanates period.

TRADE & BUSINESS:

          Many new inventions came into India during this period of sultanates.  Paper- making technology, Spinning wheels, treadle discovered by Chinese were came into India. These technologies helped in trade & business. Spinning wheel enlarged the yarn production and developed the trade. Sericulture was introduced during this period. Sericulture centre was established in Bengal.

ARCHITECTURE:

          Building activities were largely developed using bricks and mortars. Many vaulting techniques were introduced. Arcs, Domes, Vaults were built widely. This type of building was known as Sarsanic method.  Alaitharvasa was the name of Entrance. QUTUB- MINAR (Mehruli Iron pillar) was renovated by Firuz shah Tughlaq.  They introduced geometrical and floral designs in paintings. They considered that painting humans and animals in the buildings were unislamic. Arabesque was the art of decorating building with Quran verses inscribed with calligraphy.

EDUCATION:

          In this period, there were many stages of education such as primary, high and higher levels. Some traditions of Education were implanted from the Islamic world. Early stage was known as maktab, where the children learn to read and write. At the high level, they learn to read important texts in various subjects. “Madrasa” was learning centre established throughout Islamic countries. Firoz shah Tughlaq built madrasa in Delhi which stands still. The main teachings were Quran and Islamic laws.

LITERATURE:

          Amir kushrau was one of the greatest Persian writer on that times. He wrote Nu-Siphr (nine skies). His work praises India’s climate, languages, art, music, people and even animals. He was referred as the Tuti-i Hind ‘Parrot of India’ and had been considered to the “Father of Urdu literature”.

 Persian was enriched by Sanskrit translations. Mahabharata and Rajatarangini were translated into Persian. The book of parrots, collection of Sanskrit stories was translated into Persian. “Chach Nama” was a Persian book which tells about the history of Sindh and the conquests of Arabs. It was also known as Fateh nama sindh.

CASTE SYSTEM AND WOMEN:

          There was no caste system followed by the Islamics during that period. Muslim women were highly respected and given equal rights in property and marital issues like divorce and remarriage. From this, we can know that sultanates didn’t follow any discrimination based on caste and gender.

But, in those period Rajputs considered that giving birth to a girl baby was a bad sign. Thus, we can know that  Hindus showed discrimination based on caste and gender in that period.

In evidence that Hindus were also respected in the period of Sultanates, Muhammad Gori issued Lakshmi faced coins. Muhammad bin Tughlaq was the first sultan to celebrate Holi, a Hindu festival in his court.  

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