Ancient History : The Mauryan Empire & The Ashoka

Q 5 / 15

UPSC CSE Prelims 2020

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?

EXPLANATION

Correct Option

The correct option is 1 and 3 only.

Explanation

Several ancient Indian settlements are known today by different names and fall within the boundaries of modern States.

Statement-wise Analysis

  1. Pair 1 — Correct. Bhilsa is the historical name associated with Vidisha, located in present-day Madhya Pradesh.
  2. Pair 2 — Incorrect. Dwarasamudra was the capital of the Hoysalas and is identified with present-day Halebidu in Karnataka, not Maharashtra.
  3. Pair 3 — Correct. Girinagar is associated with the Girnar–Junagadh region in present-day Gujarat.
  4. Pair 4 — Incorrect. Sthanesvara is identified with present-day Thanesar in Haryana, not Uttar Pradesh.

Key Takeaway: Bhilsa corresponds to Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh, while Girinagar corresponds to the Girnar–Junagadh region of Gujarat.

SOURCEUPSC CSE Prelims 2020; R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past, Chapter 13: The Mauryan Empire; Chapter 18: The Gupta Empire; Chapter 19: Harsha and His Times; Chapter 20: States of South India