Comprehension

Trade between the hill tribes and the plains, c. 1595

This is how Abu’l Fazl describes the transactions between the hill tribes and the plains in the suba of Awadh (part of present-day Uttar Pradesh):

From the northern mountains quantities of goods are carried on the backs of men, of stout ponies and of goats, such as gold, copper, lead, musk, tails of the kutas cow (the yak), honey, chuk (an acid composed of orange juice and lemon boiled together), pomegranate seed, ginger, long pepper, majith (a plant producing a red dye) root, borax, zedoary (a root resembling turmeric), wax, woollen stuffs, wooden ware, hawks, falcons, black falcons, merlins (a kind of bird), and other articles. In exchange they carry back white and coloured clothes, amber, salt, asafoetida, ornaments, glass and earthen ware.

Question: 1

Why was trade between the mountains and plains important for the Mughal economy?

Show Hint

To evaluate the economic importance of peripheral trade, look at resource diversity. Frontier trade allowed the Mughal economy to secure specialized materials from difficult terrains, connecting different ecological regions into a single market network.

Updated On: Jul 28, 2026

Show Solution

Solution and Explanation

Was this answer helpful?

Question: 2

How did the people of the plains benefit from trade with the hill tribes?

Show Hint

The primary benefit for the plains was resource diversification. Through trade, the plains obtained raw minerals, specialized flora, and high-altitude animal products that were ecologically impossible to cultivate or harvest locally.

Updated On: Jul 28, 2026

Show Solution

Solution and Explanation

Was this answer helpful?

Question: 3

How did Abu’l Fazl describe the variety of goods carried by the hill tribes?

Show Hint

When explaining long descriptive catalogs in historical sources, group the items into thematic classes (e.g., Minerals, Flora, Fau, and Processed Goods). This clarifies the wide variety of goods and highlights the distinct ecological features of the mountain economy.

Updated On: Jul 28, 2026

Show Solution