Which of the following pairs of the king and his dynasty in early historical Tamilakam is/are not correctly matched ? 1. Senguttuvan : Chera 2. Udiyanjeral : Chola 3. Nedunjeliyan : Pandya Select the answer using the code given below :

The correct answer is Option B because only Pair 2 is incorrectly matched. During the Sangam Age (roughly 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE), early historical Tamilakam was ruled by the Muvendar—the Chera, Chola, and Pandya dynasties.

• Pair 1 is correctly matched: Senguttuvan (often called the "Red Chera") was the most prominent ruler of the Chera dynasty. Chronicled in the Tamil epic Silappatikaram, he is celebrated for his northern military expeditions and for establishing the Pattini cult (worship of the ideal wife, Kannagi).
• Pair 2 is NOT correctly matched: Udiyanjeral (or Uthiyan Cheralathan) was a foundational king of the Chera dynasty, not the Chola dynasty. Ruling around the 2nd century CE, he is recognized as one of the earliest known Chera monarchs. Sangam literature famously credits him with the mythological feat of feeding the rival armies during the Kurukshetra war, earning him the title Perunjoram Udiyan.
• Pair 3 is correctly matched: Nedunjeliyan was an illustrious king of the Pandya dynasty. Specifically, Talaialanganathu Seruvenra Nedunjeliyan (c. 3rd century CE) is historically celebrated for his decisive victory at the Battle of Talaiyalanganam, where he defeated a formidable confederacy of Cheras, Cholas, and several minor chieftains.

Takeaway: A helpful way to study the Sangam trinity is by associating major kings with their dynastic emblems: the Cheras (Senguttuvan, Udiyanjeral) used the Bow and Arrow, the Cholas (e.g., Karikala) used the Tiger, and the Pandyas (e.g., Nedunjeliyan) used the Fish. Because Udiyanjeral belongs to the Chera lineage, Pair 2 is the only mismatch.