According to Xuanzang, Harsha held a great assembly every five years (the 'Mahamoksha Parishad'), at which he gave away his wealth, at:

According to Xuanzang, Harshavardhana held a great assembly every five years at Prayag, at the confluence of the Ganga and the Yamuna, where he distributed all his accumulated wealth in charity.

About the Prayag assembly:

• It was called the "Mahamoksha Parishad" (great assembly of liberation) or "Moksha Parishad".
• It was held every five years.
• Xuanzang attended the sixth such assembly, in 643 CE, after the assembly at Kannauj.
• It lasted for about 75 days.
• Harsha worshipped the Buddha, the Sun god and Shiva on different days, showing his respect for all religions.
• He gave gifts to Buddhist monks, Brahmanas, Jains, the poor, orphans and the destitute.
• According to Xuanzang, Harsha gave away everything he had, including his own clothes and jewels, and then borrowed a used garment from his sister Rajyashri.
• Many kings attended the assembly; Xuanzang mentions that a ruler of Valabhi was among them.

Harsha's generosity:

• This assembly shows Harsha's generosity and his policy of religious tolerance.
• It also helped him gain the support of different groups.

Prayag as a sacred place:

• Prayag is the "Triveni Sangam", the confluence of the Ganga, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.
• It is the site of the Kumbh Mela (every 12 years) and the Ardh Kumbh (every 6 years).
• The city was renamed Prayagraj in 2018.

Xuanzang's description of Harsha:

• He described Harsha as a hard-working and just king, who toured his kingdom to see conditions for himself.
• He divided the day into three parts: one for administration and two for religious works.
• Harsha's revenue was divided into four parts: for the king's expenses, for scholars, for officials, and for religious purposes.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Kannauj was the site of the assembly to publicise Mahayana Buddhism.
• ✗Nalanda was a university.
• ✗Thanesar was Harsha's first capital.