The Customs of the Kingdoms of India

Description

"The Customs of the Kingdoms of India" by Marco Polo is a section from his famous travelogue "The Travels of Marco Polo," in which he details the cultures, traditions, religions, and lifestyles he observed during his journey through the Indian subcontinent in the late 13th century. In this account, Marco Polo offers vivid and sometimes exaggerated descriptions of various Indian kingdoms, including their rulers, food habits, religious practices, social customs, and trade systems. He writes about practices such as idol worship, funeral rites, the caste system, and the widespread use of spices and precious stones. Though not always accurate by modern historical standards, Polo’s narrative provides a unique European perspective on India during the medieval period and is considered one of the earliest Western records of Indian culture and society.