Previous Year Question
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?
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
1. Bhilsa—Madhya Pradesh: Correct
Bhilsa or Bhelsa is a historical name associated with present-day Vidisha, situated in Madhya Pradesh.
According to the Vidisha district administration, after the destruction of ancient Besnagar, a new town developed on the eastern bank of the Betwa and became known as Bhailaswamin or Bhillaswamin. This name was subsequently corrupted into Bhilsa or Bhelsa.
Vidisha was an important political and commercial centre of ancient eastern Malwa.
The Heliodorus Pillar stands at Besnagar near Vidisha. It was erected by the Indo-Greek ambassador Heliodorus in honour of Vasudeva.
Therefore, Bhilsa—Madhya Pradesh is correctly matched.
2. Dwarasamudra—Maharashtra: Incorrect
Dwarasamudra is present-day Halebidu, situated in the Hassan district of Karnataka.
It served as the capital of the Hoysala dynasty. The present name ‘Halebidu’ is generally understood to mean ‘old city’.
The Hoysaleswara Temple located here is an important example of twelfth-century Hoysala architecture. Its notable features include a stellate plan, intricate carving on soapstone and horizontal sculptural friezes.
Therefore, Dwarasamudra is in Karnataka, not Maharashtra.
3. Girinagar—Gujarat: Correct
Girinagar is an ancient name of the Girnar hill. It is situated in the Junagadh district of Gujarat.
It is also known as Revatak Parvata and is an important pilgrimage centre for both Hindu and Jain traditions.
Major Rock Edicts of Emperor Ashoka are located near the foothills of Girnar.
The Junagadh inscriptions from this region also include the Sanskrit inscription of the Shaka ruler Rudradaman I and an inscription of the Gupta ruler Skandagupta. These provide information concerning repairs to the Sudarshana Lake.
Therefore, Girinagar—Gujarat is correctly matched.
4. Sthanesvara—Uttar Pradesh: Incorrect
The modern form of Sthanesvara is Thanesar, situated in the Kurukshetra district of Haryana.
It was the initial political centre of the Pushyabhuti or Vardhana dynasty, to which Prabhakaravardhana and Harshavardhana belonged.
Harshavardhana later made Kannauj the principal centre of his empire.
Important historical and religious sites at Thanesar include Harsha Ka Tila and the Sthaneshwar Mahadev Temple.
Therefore, Sthanesvara is in Haryana, not Uttar Pradesh.