UPSC Prelims 2020 Q97: Medieval History – Medieval Culture & Historiography
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?
- (a) 1 and 3 only
- (b) 1 and 4 only
- (c) 2 and 3 only
- (d) 2 and 4 only
Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only
Explanation
Historical Places: State Locations
| Place | Present State | Correct match? |
|---|---|---|
| Bhilsa | Madhya Pradesh | YES |
| Dwarasamudra | Maharashtra | NO - Karnataka (Halebidu) |
| Girinagar | Gujarat | NO - Karnataka (Gulbarga region) |
| Sthanesvara | Uttar Pradesh | YES |
Correct pairs: 1 (Bhilsa-MP) + 4 (Sthanesvara-UP). Answer: (b) 1 and 4 only.
Answer: (a) 1 and 3 only.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Bhilsa (Bhopal region, MP) and Sthanesvara (Thanesar, Haryana-UP borderland) are correctly matched.
- (b) Incorrect. If not including 4.
- (c) Incorrect. Dwarasamudra is in Karnataka, Girinagar is not Gujarat.
- (d) Incorrect. Sthanesvara is not Maharashtra.
Key point
Historical capitals: Bhilsa (Vidisha region, ancient), Halebidu/Dwarasamudra (Hoysala capital, KA), Sthanesvara (Harsha period, Thanesar-Panipat region).
Remember
Historical places correctly matched to present states: (1) Bhilsa - Madhya Pradesh (yes), (4) Sthanesvara - Uttar Pradesh (yes). Incorrectly matched: Dwarasamudra - Maharashtra (it's in Karnataka), Girinagar - Gujarat (it's in Karnataka). Answer: 1 and 4 only.
Common mistakes
- Confusing Dwarasamudra (Hoysala, KA) with Maharashtra. It's in Hassan, KA.
- Mixing up Girinagar - likely refers to Gulbarga region (KA), not Gujarat.
- Assuming historical names = obvious locations. Often require historical knowledge (migrations, state borders).
Exam tip
Medieval capital migrations: Kingdoms shifted capitals (political, trade route changes). Geography affected empire durability.
Sources
- R.C. Majumdar - The Classical Age
- Historical Atlas of India