Correct Option
The correct option is 1 only
Explanation
Chinese Buddhist pilgrims visited India primarily to collect Buddhist texts and visit holy sites. Their travelogues serve as critical historical sources for understanding the social stratification, administrative systems, and religious conditions of ancient India, particularly the evolution of the caste system and the practice of untouchability.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: Fa Xian (Faxian), who visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II (Gupta Empire), explicitly described the condition of the "Chandalas." He recorded that they were considered social outcasts and were required to sound a piece of wood (clapper) when entering a city or marketplace. This warning allowed upper-caste individuals to avoid physical contact or viewing them, which was considered polluting.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: Xuan Zang (Hsuan Tsang), who visited India in the 7th century CE, observed that those engaged in professions considered "impure"-such as butchers, fishermen, executioners, and scavengers-were forced to live outside the city walls. They were not permitted to reside within the city.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: Neither pilgrim visited India during the Mauryan period (c. 322-185 BCE). Fa Xian visited during the Gupta period (early 5th century CE), whereas Xuan Zang visited during the reign of Harshavardhana (7th century CE).
Key Takeaway
Fa Xian provides the earliest specific historical evidence of the practice of untouchability (sounding clappers) during the Gupta period, while Xuan Zang confirmed the continued and rigid segregation of specific social groups outside city limits during the post-Gupta era.