Jean-Baptiste Tavernier’s Travels in India contains the details of his journeys that he undertook traversing the greater part of this country. Rightly considered as one of the most renowned travellers of the seventeenth century, his Travels, like those of other European travellers, are an important source-book for the history of India of the seventeenth century. An avid traveller, Tavernier undertook seven voyages to the East of which six brought him to India including Ceylon and South-East Asia between the years 1641 and 1667 and is thus an important source material for the history of Mughal India and Deccan Sultanates. A jeweller by profession, he also undertook journeys to various mines and other sources of precious stones. The present volume of Tavernier’s Travels in India has been translated by Valentine Ball and the present edition has been edited by William Crooke. A detailed life-sketch of Tavernier apart, this edition also contains a detailed Bibliography, Notes on Tavernier’s History and Geography, six Appendices in which are respectively discussed the Koh-i-nur, list of diamond mines in India, the diamond mines of Bengal, the diamond mines of Boraeo, the ruby mines of Burma and the Sapphire of Washings of Ceylon and two early works by foreign travellers, and a detailed Index and Glossary. An important source-book, Travels in India is an indispensable work for all those interested in various facets of life during the times of the Mughals.
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