Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India, A.D. 1000–1800 c23.19

c23.19

But if there was accelerated population growth, there were also forces pulling in the opposite direction. In Europe in the sixteenth century population was checked by malnutrition and disease. Half of all babies born died in the first year; in India female infanticide added to high infant mortality. Life expectancy in Europe was 48 to 66 years in rich countries; 30 to 40 years in poor. In India birth rate was high, death rate was high and life expectancy low.⁸ Wars and famines and pestilences were common in medieval times. The devastating effects of war were aggravated by the customs of Jauhar and Sati.⁹ In Jauhar not only women but also children used to be burnt or put to the sword on a large scale.¹⁰ About famines we hear throughout the medieval times. The country depended almost entirely on monsoon for its food production, and "it is the irregularity of monsoon that has made India a land of famine."¹¹ Similarly when any contagious disease broke out, there were hardly any means to check it, and it always took a heavy toll. Medieval times were not a healthy period from the point of hygiene and sanitation. Rural habitations and suburban dwellings were yet mere hovels, flimsy structures, easy victims to accidental conflagration and contagious disease. In such a situation population growth could only be restrained. The present day population explosion is due mainly to the advancement in medical science promoting longevity.