Bharata; Author of Natyashastra

Natyashastra is the earliest surviving Indian textbook on three arts of drama, music and dancing. It was composed in the later centuries of the Christian era by an anonymous writer who in accordance with the custom of the time, attributed the work to the ancient sage Bharata. 

Even today the best modern Indian dancers dance according to the rules laid down in Natyashastra.

Avvaiyar Early Tamil Poetess

Avvaiyar was an early Tamil poetess during the Sangam Age in ancient India. Her works are known for their literary merit.

Aryabhata: Astronomer and Mathematician of Ancient India

Born in the second half of the fifth century AD, Aryabhata was a top astronomer and mathematician of the Gupta times in ancient India. He suggested that the earth revolved around the sun and rotated on its axis. 

He was the first to have the knowledge of zero. It can be said with certainty that knowledge of mathematics in the Gupta period was more advanced than that reached by any other country of antiquity.

Aryabhata was the author of Aryabhatiya which was written in 499 AD.

Minhaj-us-Siraj: Author of Tabaqat-i-Nasiri

Minhaj-ud-din Abu Uraar bin Siraj-ud-din al-Juzjani, popularly known as Minhaj-us-Siraj, was a medieval historian who was patronized by Slave Sultan Nasir-ud-din Mahmud to whom he had dedicated his magnum opus Tabaqat-i-Nasiri.

Since Siraj held the high office of the Chief Qazi of Delhi to which he was appointed by Nasir-ud-din Mahmud, it is natural that Tabaqat-i-Nasiri gives a first hand account of the historical events from the conquest of Delhi by Muhammad of Ghur up to the year 1260 AD.

Siraj was temporarily removed from the post of Chief Qazi from 1253 to 1255 when a section of nobles induced the Sultan to send his prime minister Balban into exile. 

Tabaqat-i-Nasiri has been translated into English by Raverty.  

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• This page was last edited on 24 July 2021

Ziauddin Barani : leading Medieval Historian of India

One of the foremost medieval historians of India, Ziauddin Barani was born in 1286 during the reign of Salve Sultan Balban of Delhi Sultanate. His famous works are Tarikhi-Firozshahi and Fatwa –i- Jahandajri which were written under the patronage of Firoz Tughlaq, the last prominent ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty. 

A highly educated man of noble descent, Barni lived more than seventy five years and was a contemporary of Muhammad bin Tughluq and Friuz Shah Tughluq.

Completed in 1359 AD, Tarikh-i-Firozshahi begins with the accession of Balban and concludes with the sixth year of the reign of Firoz Firoz Tughlaq.

Fatwa –i- Jahandajri describes about principles and ideals of government.

Sultan Ghari Tomb of Nasir-ud-din Mahmud

Located in the Malakapur village near Vasant Kunj in Delhi, Sultan Ghari tomb is the first Turkish tomb in India. It was built by Slave Sultan Iltutumish on the grave of his eldest son Nasir-ud-din Mahmud, who died in April, A.D. 1229, while looking after the state of affairs in Bengal as the governor of that province.

Nasir-ud-din Mahmud is not to be confused with his namesake who later became a ruler of the Slave dynasty.

Architecturally, the Sultan Ghari tomb is more Hindu than any other tomb in India.