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Historical Geography

Matching Ancient Indian Places with Modern States

Bhilsa is located in Madhya Pradesh and Girinagar is in Gujarat. Dwarasamudra is in Karnataka, while Sthanesvara is located in Haryana, not Uttar Pradesh.

Primary Reference: NCERT Class XII - Themes in Indian History

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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?

[UPSC CSE Pre 2020]

Detailed Solution & Historical Context

Concept


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

Authentic Source Evidence


  • 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).

    • Analytical Breakdown


  • 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.

    • Conceptual Deep Dive & Logic

    "Why was Sthanesvara significant?"

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

    Examiner's Mindset & Pro-Tip

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

    Topic Clusters (click to see related topic questions)

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