Three decades before renowned Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed at Calicut in India, Afanasy Nikitin or Athanasius Nikitin journeyed to India in 1469, becoming the first Russian traveller to do so. He came to India for trade.
A monument to Afanasy Nikitin has been erected in Chaul (now called Revdanda) near Alibagh in Maharashtra to commemorate his extraordinary journey from Russia. Nikitin had reached Chaul from Persia. Then from Chaul he travelled to the Bahmani Kingdom which was then ruled by Muhammad Shah III. Afanasy Nikitin spent four years in Bidar from 1470 to 74 and his minute observations include details of courtly life, army, trade activities, the customs and condition of the general populace under the Bahmani rule.
Nikitin has referred to the sanguinary wars that took place between the Bahmani Sultanate and the Vijayanagar Empire at regular intervals.
A film, titled Pardeshi in Hindi, based on his life was made in 1956.
Born in 1433 in Tver in Russia, Athanasius Nikitin has described his voyage in a narrative known as Journey Beyond Three Seas.
Nikitin's writings offer insights into the political conditions, trade activities, social customs, and religious practices prevalent in parts of India during the 15th century.
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