U.P.P.C.S. Pre 1991

Eastern Expansion of the Sultanate

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

Which slave of Muhammad Ghori conquered Bengal and Bihar?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: C

Concept While Ghori and Aibak focused on the North Indian heartland, one ambitious general pushed the frontiers of the Islamic conquest into the far east of the subcontinent.

Explanation Ikhtiyar-ud-din Bakhtiyar Khalji was the military general who overran Bihar (destroying monasteries like Nalanda) and conquered Bengal by surprising the Sena king Lakshmana Sena in his capital, Nadia.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Option C is correct. Bakhtiyar Khalji operated with a high degree of independence from Delhi to establish his rule in the east.
Logic 2: Aibak and Iltutmish were concentrated in Delhi and Lahore, while Yaldiz was a rival of Aibak in Ghazni.

Active Recall

Question

How did Bakhtiyar Khalji capture Nadia?

Answer

He led a daring raid with only 18 horsemen, masquerading as horse traders, which caught the palace guard of Lakshmana Sena completely off guard.

Core Insight

Bakhtiyar Khalji's campaign fundamentally changed the religious and political landscape of Eastern India, leading to the decline of Buddhism in the region.