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| Modi in Mongolia. PM is present day Ibn Battuta, suggests Justice Katju. PIB Pic |
November 19, 2015, NewsCrunch
Justice Markandey Katju has compared Prime Minister Modi's frequent foreign trips to the arduous journeys undertaken by Ibn Battuta in the medieval period.
Moroccon-born Ibn Battuta (1304 – 1368) holds the record as history's greatest world traveller.
Over three decades he visited Iraq, Persia, Arabia, Somalia, Swahili Coast, Anatolia, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, China, North Africa, Mali and Timbuktu.
In his over a year's of Prime-Ministership Modi made twenty-nine foreign trips and would be soon leaving for Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
Comparing Modi to Ibn Battuta, however, tempting is far from accurate. Here are the key differences.
Ibn Battuta walked on foot or rode mules or camels. Modi travels by Air India One, which sometimes gets to park next to Obama's Air Force One.
Ibn Battuta spent long time in the places he visited - sometimes even marrying local women. Modi visits are tough and go, in comparison, and there is also no record of any matrimonial alliances taking place.
Modi is received by rapturous NRIs everywhere he goes. There is not record of medieval Moroccons extending a similar rousing reception to Ibn Battuta.
Europe, which was in dark ages at he time, was avoided by Ibn Battuta. Modi likes his Europe visits and has also been to North America a few times, which was not on world map during Ibn Battuta's time.
Ibn Battuta left behind written accounts of his travels. We are not sure if Modi is maintaining any dairy.
Ibn Battuta travelled out of personal interest. Modi's world's travels are in public cause - to drum up trade and investment.
Many international publications have taken note of Modi's sartorial accomplishment. We are not sure if a similar courtesy was extended to Ibn Battuta
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| Ibn Battuta |