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Question 97

With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs:
Famous Place Present State
1. Bhilsa : Madhya Pradesh
2. Dwarasamudra : Maharashtra
3. Girinagar : Gujarat
4. Sthanesvara : Uttar Pradesh
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

AOptions

A) 1 and 3 only

B) 1 and 4 only

C) 2 and 3 only

D) 2 and 4 only

BSolution

Let's analyze the given pairs of famous ancient places and their corresponding present states:

1. Bhilsa : Madhya Pradesh
This pair is correctly matched. Bhilsa is the ancient name for Vidisha, a historically significant city located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. It was an important center during ancient times, known for its proximity to Buddhist sites like Sanchi.

2. Dwarasamudra : Maharashtra
This pair is incorrectly matched. Dwarasamudra (or Dorasamudra) was the ancient capital of the Hoysala Empire, which flourished in South India. Its ruins are located near present-day Halebidu in the state of Karnataka, not Maharashtra.

3. Girinagar : Gujarat
This pair is correctly matched. Girinagar is an ancient name for Junagadh, a city in the state of Gujarat. It is historically significant due to the Girnar hills, which feature ancient rock edicts of Emperor Ashoka, Rudradaman I, and Skandagupta, as well as numerous temples.

4. Sthanesvara : Uttar Pradesh
This pair is incorrectly matched. Sthanesvara (also known as Thanesar) was the capital of the Pushyabhuti dynasty, most famously associated with King Harshavardhana. It is located in the present-day state of Haryana, near the city of Kurukshetra, not Uttar Pradesh.

Therefore, only pairs 1 and 3 are correctly matched.

CStrategy

For questions matching ancient places with modern states, precise historical geography knowledge is required. It is helpful to memorize the locations of important ancient cities, capitals, and archaeological sites, especially those frequently mentioned in historical texts. Pay attention to specific names as minor phonetic similarities can mislead.

DSyllabus Analysis

This question falls under Ancient Indian History and Indian Geography, specifically historical geography and the location of ancient sites and kingdoms.

EQuestion Analysis

Medium to Difficult. This question requires specific factual recall of ancient Indian place names and their modern geographical locations, which can be challenging given the vastness of historical geography.