The correct option is (c).
Explanation
The term "Hindustan" has evolved significantly over centuries. Historical chronicles reveal that its meaning shifted from a political designation of specific territories to a broader geographical and cultural description of the subcontinent.Statement 1 is Correct: In the thirteenth century, Minhaj-i-Siraj, a chronicler who wrote in Persian, used the term "Hindustan" in a political sense. He used it to denote the areas of Punjab, Haryana, and the lands between the Ganga and Yamuna that were under the dominion of the Delhi Sultanate. The term's geographical scope shifted with the extent of the Sultanate's control but never included South India.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: In the early sixteenth century, Babur used "Hindustan" to describe the geography, the fauna, and the culture of the inhabitants of the subcontinent. He did not use it in a purely political sense to describe his conquests; rather, his usage was more descriptive of the natural and cultural landscape, similar to how Amir Khusrau used "Hind".
Statement 3 is Correct: The fourteenth-century poet Amir Khusrau used the word "Hind" to describe a geographical and cultural entity. While the idea of a unified cultural region existed, the term did not yet carry the modern political and nationalistic meanings associated with the nation-state of India today.
Key Takeaway: Minhaj-i-Siraj used "Hindustan" politically for North Indian territories under the Delhi Sultanate, whereas Babur used it to describe the physical geography and culture of the subcontinent.