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Question 42 of 94 · Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms
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The Gahadavala dynasty ruled over the region of:

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Answer: Option A — Kannauj (and Varanasi)

Detailed Solution

The Gahadavala dynasty ruled over the region of Kannauj and Varanasi (in present-day Uttar Pradesh) from the late 11th century to the end of the 12th century.

About the Gahadavalas:

  • They rose to power in the late 11th century, after the decline of the Gurjara-Pratiharas and the confusion that followed.
  • Their founder was Yashovigraha, and the first important ruler was Chandradeva (about 1089-1103 CE), who captured Kannauj.
  • Their kingdom included Kannauj, Varanasi, Ayodhya and other parts of present-day Uttar Pradesh.
  • They had two important centres: Kannauj and Varanasi (Kashi).

Important rulers:

Chandradeva: founded the kingdom.

Govindachandra (about 1114-1155 CE): the greatest ruler; he issued a large number of land grants (copper plates), and protected Varanasi from Turkish raids; his queen Kumaradevi built a Buddhist monastery at Sarnath (the Dharmachakra-Jina Vihara).

The last powerful ruler of the dynasty fought against Muhammad Ghori and was killed in battle in 1194 CE.

After this, the Gahadavala kingdom came under Turkish control.

Culture:

  • The Gahadavalas were great patrons of Brahmanical Hinduism, and gave many land grants to Brahmanas.
  • They also supported Buddhism.
  • The poet Shriharsha, author of the Sanskrit epic "Naishadhacharita", is said to have lived at their court.
  • They imposed a tax called "Turushkadanda", probably to raise money to fight the Turks, or as a tax on Turkish settlers.

Kannauj in early medieval India:

Kannauj was the most important city of north India after Harsha, and many dynasties fought for it.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗Bundelkhand was ruled by the Chandelas.
  • ✗Malwa was ruled by the Paramaras.
  • ✗Gujarat was ruled by the Chalukyas (Solankis).

Quick tip

Remember: Gahadavalas = Kannauj and Varanasi (founder Yashovigraha; Chandradeva; Govindachandra; "Turushkadanda" tax); defeated by Muhammad Ghori in 1194.

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Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Early Medieval India & South Indian Kingdoms, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers India from about the 7th to the 12th century: the Rajput dynasties, the tripartite struggle between the Palas, Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas, and the South Indian kingdoms of the Chalukyas, Pallavas, Cholas and Pandyas, along with the Sangam age and the temple architecture of the period. Questions often ask which dynasty built a temple (the Pallavas built the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram, and Rajaraja Chola I built the Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur), the capitals of dynasties, and the local self-government of the Cholas. Learning each dynasty with its capital, greatest ruler and one monument is the quickest way to answer these questions. Practise the early medieval India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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