UPSC CSE Pre 2020

Historical Geography

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

With reference to the history of India, consider the following pairs: **Famous Place** | **Present State** 1. Bhilsa | Madhya Pradesh 2. Dwarasamudra | Maharashtra 3. Girinagar | Gujarat 4. Sthanesvara | Uttar Pradesh Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: A

Concept Historical geography links ancient nomenclature to modern administrative divisions, essential for understanding the reach of past empires.

Explanation
Bhilsa: Historically known as Vidisha, it is located in Madhya Pradesh.
Dwarasamudra: The capital of the Hoysalas, located in Halebidu, Karnataka (not Maharashtra).
Girinagar: Modern Junagadh, located in Gujarat.
Sthanesvara: Known as Thanesar, it is located in Haryana (not Uttar Pradesh).

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Bhilsa (Pair 1) and Girinagar (Pair 3) are geographically accurate based on archaeological and textual records.
Logic 2: Dwarasamudra (Pair 2) is a mismatch as it belongs to the Deccan/South (Karnataka).
Logic 3: Sthanesvara (Pair 4) was the seat of the Pushyabhutis in the Kurukshetra region of Haryana.

Active Recall

Question

Why was Sthanesvara significant?

Answer

It was the ancestral capital of the Pushyabhuti dynasty, from where Harshavardhana began his expansion.

Core Insight

The misidentification of historical sites often stems from confusing modern state borders with ancient cultural and political zones.