Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation
Who of the following founded a new city on the south bank of a tributary to river Krishna and undertook to rule his new kingdom as the agent of a deity to whom all the land south of the river Krishna was supposed to belong?
Solution & Analysis
Answer: C
Concept
The founding of Vijayanagara was not just a political act but a religious one. The rulers derived their legitimacy by claiming to rule on behalf of the divine, a common practice to unify the population against the expansionist Sultanates.Explanation
Harihara I and his brother Bukka founded Vijayanagara in 1336 on the south bank of the Tungabhadra (a tributary of the Krishna). They claimed to rule as representatives of the deity Virupaksha, effectively acting as stewards of the land belonging to the god.Logical Breakup
Logic 1: The 'new city' is Vijayanagara (City of Victory). The river is the Tungabhadra.
Logic 2: Harihara I moved away from his former allegiance to the Kakatiyas to establish an independent kingdom, using religious symbolism to cement his authority.