The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang visited Kanchipuram, the Pallava capital, during the reign of:

The Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang (Hiuen Tsang) visited Kanchipuram, the capital of the Pallavas, around 640-641 CE, during the reign of Narasimhavarman I.

About Xuanzang's visit:

• He described Kanchipuram as a large and prosperous city, with many Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples.
• He noted that there were about 100 Buddhist monasteries with about 10,000 monks, and about 80 Hindu temples, as well as many Jain followers ("Digambaras").
• He described the people as brave, honest and fond of learning.
• He said that the city was the birthplace of the great Buddhist scholar Dharmapala (a teacher of Nalanda).

About Narasimhavarman I:

• He ruled from about 630 to 668 CE.
• He was the son of Mahendravarman I.
• He took the title "Mamalla" ("great wrestler"), and the city of Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) is named after him.
• In 642 CE, he defeated the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II, who had earlier defeated his father, and captured and destroyed the Chalukya capital, Vatapi (Badami).
• After this victory, he took the title "Vatapikonda" ("conqueror of Vatapi").
• He sent two naval expeditions to Sri Lanka, to help his friend, the Sri Lankan prince Manavarma, regain his throne.
• He built many of the famous monuments at Mamallapuram, including the monolithic rathas and rock-cut mandapas.

The Pallava-Chalukya conflict:

• The Pallavas and the Chalukyas of Badami fought many wars in the 7th and 8th centuries.
• Pulakeshin II defeated Mahendravarman I.
• Narasimhavarman I defeated Pulakeshin II and captured Vatapi.
• Later, the Chalukya Vikramaditya II captured Kanchi.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Mahendravarman I was his father.
• ✗Simhavishnu was an earlier Pallava ruler.
• ✗Nandivarman II was a later Pallava ruler.