Who among the following has described the medieval Indian postal system as of two kinds—the horse-post called ‘Ulu and the foot-post called ‘Dawa’?

The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited India during the 14th century under the reign of Muhammad bin Tughlaq, provided a detailed account of the Delhi Sultanate's communication infrastructure . He described the medieval Indian postal system as being divided into two distinct categories: the horse-post and the foot-post [1]. The horse-post, known as 'uluq' (or ulu), utilized royal horses stationed at four-mile intervals [1]. In contrast, the foot-post, referred to as 'dawa', was organized with three stations per mile [1]. Ibn Battuta noted that the foot-post was often faster than the horse-post; it involved couriers carrying rods with copper bells to signal their approach, ensuring a seamless relay of information across the empire [1]. This efficient system allowed the Sultan to receive news and goods from distant provinces with remarkable speed.

Sources

1. [1] THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART II, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Through the Eyes of Travellers > On horse and on foot > p. 129