Previous Year Question
Consider the following pairs :
Famous place | Region | |
1. | Bodhgaya | Baghelkhand |
2. | Khajuraho | Bundelkhand |
3. | Shirdi | Vidarbha |
4. | Nasik (Nashik) | Malwa |
5. | Tirupati | Rayalaseema |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
1, 2 and 4
2, 3, 4 and 5
2 and 5 only
1, 3, 4 and 5
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
Pair 1 — Bodhgaya : Baghelkhand — Incorrect
Bodhgaya is situated in the Gaya region of Bihar. The Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation lists it among Bihar's major Buddhist pilgrimage centres and identifies it as the place where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree.
In contrast, the historical-geographical core of Baghelkhand is associated with the Rewa-Satna region of Madhya Pradesh. The official Satna District Administration describes Satna as part of the Baghelkhand region and records its historical association with the Rewa State.
Pair 2 — Khajuraho : Bundelkhand — Correct
Khajuraho is located in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Chhatarpur District Administration identifies it as one of the district's major heritage centres.
Official Madhya Pradesh Tourism material explicitly associates the area around Khajuraho in Chhatarpur district with the Bundelkhand cultural zone. For example, Basata and Kundarpura near Khajuraho are described in terms of Bundelkhand's cultural landscape and traditions.
Pair 3 — Shirdi : Vidarbha — Incorrect
Shirdi is located in Ahilyanagar district (formerly Ahmednagar) of Maharashtra. The official District Administration identifies Shirdi as a town/village of Ahilyanagar district.
Importantly, Ahilyanagar is part of the Nashik Revenue Division. According to the Planning Department, Government of Maharashtra, the Vidarbha Development Board covers the Nagpur and Amravati Revenue Divisions.
Pair 4 — Nasik : Malwa — Incorrect
According to the Divisional Commissioner Office of the Government of Maharashtra, Nashik district is situated in the northwestern part of Maharashtra.
The Government of Madhya Pradesh separately identifies Malwa as one of Madhya Pradesh's cultural regions. Nashik is part of Maharashtra and does not belong to the Malwa region.
Pair 5 — Tirupati : Rayalaseema — Correct
Tirupati is situated in Andhra Pradesh and has a clear regional association with Rayalaseema. The official portal of the Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education states that Sri Venkateswara University was established at Tirupati in 1954 to cater to the educational needs and aspirations of the Rayalaseema region.
Official Andhra Pradesh records similarly place Tirupati within the institutional and geographical context of Rayalaseema. Therefore, Tirupati–Rayalaseema is correct.