Question

Mention any two ways in which Inscriptions may be used for reconstructing the history of the Delhi Sultanate.

Answer 1

1. Inscriptions — These are valuable supplements and not the sole sources of information on the Delhi Sultanate. The inscriptions are found on coins, monuments, milestones, and tombstones. Some of the inscriptions are in Sanskrit, some in Arabic and some in both the languages. For example, the first coin issued by Muhammad Bakhtiyar Khilji bears both Arabic and Sanskrit inscriptions. Similarly, the famous traveler Ibn Batuta noticed a commemorative inscription in the Jama Masjid in Delhi, which he deciphered.
2. The Pehowa Inscription of the Pratihara king Mahendrapala suggests that Delhi was founded in 736 AD by the Tomaras, a clan of the Rajputs. It mentions that the Tomaras ruled over the Haryana region with Dhilika (Delhi) as their Capital. The Sarban Inscription (found in the village Sarban, South Delhi) contains a brief account of the history of Delhi until the reign of Muhammad Tughlaq (1325-1351).