UPPCS Pre 1995

Political Landscape in 1526

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Which Hindu State has been mentioned by Babur in his Babur Nama:

Solution & Analysis

Answer: C

Concept Babur’s memoirs provide a rare outsider's look at the political map of India in the early 16th century. He categorized states by their strength and the religion of their rulers.

Explanation In the Baburnama, Babur mentions two major Hindu powers: Vijayanagara (under Krishnadeva Raya) in the South and Mewar (under Rana Sanga) in the North. He regarded Rana Sanga of Mewar as his most dangerous rival in Northern India.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Orissa and Kashmir were mentioned as regional entities, but Mewar and Vijayanagara were highlighted as the supreme 'pagan' powers of the era.
Logic 2: The mention of Mewar set the stage for the Battle of Khanwa, which Babur viewed as a critical religious and political conflict.

Active Recall

Question

How did Babur describe Krishnadeva Raya?

Answer

He described him as the most powerful infidel king in India with the largest territory and army.

Core Insight

Babur's focus on Mewar and Vijayanagara shows that he realized the strength of Indian empires lay in regional kingdoms outside the Delhi Sultanate.