Official UPSC Format

Which of the following pairs of the king and his dynasty in early historical Tamilakam is/are not correctly matched ?
1. Senguttuvan : Chera
2. Udiyanjeral : Chola
3. Nedunjeliyan : Pandya
Select the answer using the code given below :

⚡ Quick Recall Snippet

During the Sangam Age in ancient Tamilakam, the region was ruled by the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas. Senguttuvan and Udiyanjeral belonged to the Chera dynasty, while Nedunjeliyan was a celebrated ruler of the Pandya dynasty.

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Detailed Solution & Authority Citations

Correct Answer is Option B
According to Sangam Literature records, the political landscape of ancient Tamilakam was dominated by the Muvendar (the three crowned kings: Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas). Let's verify the royal lineages:
  • Pair 1 is Correctly Matched: Senguttuvan (often called the Red Chera) is a legendary monarch of the Chera dynasty. Immortalized in the epic Silappadikaram, he is famous for his northern expeditions and founding the Pattini cult.

  • Pair 2 is Incorrectly Matched: Udiyanjeral (Uthiyan Cheralathan) is widely regarded as the first historically attested ruler of the Chera dynasty, not the Chola dynasty. He is famous in Sangam lore for the mythological claim that he fed the rival armies during the Kurukshetra war.

  • Pair 3 is Correctly Matched: Nedunjeliyan is one of the most famous names in the Pandya dynasty. Talaiyalanganattu Seruvenra Nedunjeliyan is particularly celebrated for crushing a massive combined coalition of Chera, Chola, and minor chieftains' armies.
    • Conclusion: The prompt asks for the pair that is not correctly matched. Only Pair 2 is factually incorrect, making Option B the correct choice.

    🚨 The Examiner's Trap

    The examiner uses the classic 'Not Correctly Matched' format, deliberately associating a foundational Chera ruler (Udiyanjeral) with the rival Chola dynasty to test the candidate's precise recall of Sangam literary figures.

    Active Recall Flashcard

    Tap to Flip

    To which ancient South Indian dynasty did the Sangam age king Udiyanjeral belong?

    The Chera dynasty.

    Concept Flow Mapping

    Senguttuvan
    Ruled
    Chera Dynasty
    Udiyanjeral
    Ruled
    Chera Dynasty
    Nedunjeliyan
    Ruled
    Pandya Dynasty

    Logic Quest

    "Why is Senguttuvan historically significant?"

    Not analyzing core concepts like Political Geography of Ancient Tamilakam through the lens of Previous Year Questions is a serious miss-out. This PYQ engine is specifically designed to help you decode the examiner's mindset and master highly probable Ancient History questions for your upcoming Prelims.