Ancient and Medieval Indian Rulers

Among the options, the Nanda dynasty (c. 345-321 BCE) preceded the Mauryas (c. 321-185 BCE). The Guptas and Pallavas came much later.

Ashoka (Maurya dynasty) reigned in the 3rd century BCE. Milinda (Menander I, Indo-Greek) reigned in the 2nd century BCE. Kanishka (Kushan dynasty) reigned in the 1st or 2nd century CE. Thus, the order is Ashoka, Milinda, Kanishka.

The Malwa region in central India corresponds to the ancient kingdom of Avanti and was controlled by the Mauryas and Guptas.

The Satavahana dynasty established their power in the Deccan region, with their capital at Pratishthana (modern Paithan). However, Amaravati is also a major center associated with their art and patronage.

Faxian (Fahien) was a Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India during the reign of Chandragupta II, who was a prominent ruler of the Gupta Empire.

Rajaraja I is considered one of the greatest Chola kings, known for his military conquests and the construction of the Brihadeeswarar Temple.

The Vijayanagara Empire was founded in 1336 by brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I.

Amoghavarsha I was the most famous ruler of the Rashtrakuta dynasty, known for his patronage of literature and religion.

Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang), the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim and scholar, visited India during the reign of Harsha Vardhan (Harshachandra) of Kannauj (606-647 A.D.). He spent several years in India, traveling extensively and documenting the political, social, and religious conditions of the time. Chandra Gupta Vikramaditya ruled earlier (Gupta period), while Rajya Vardhan was Harsha's brother.

In the Ramayana, Queen Kaikeyi demanded that King Dasharatha exile Rama to the forest for fourteen years to ensure her son Bharata would inherit the throne.

In the Mahabharata, before the Kurukshetra war, Krishna offered Arjuna a choice between his entire army (the Narayani Sena) or himself, unarmed and not fighting.

He was the last ruler of the Mauryan dynasty.

Fa Hien came to Chandragupta II's court in the fourth century.

Correct Answer: Sapta SindhavaThe entire region including Afghanistan, Swat Valley, Punjab and Indo-Gangetic watershed has been referred in Rig- Veda once as the Sapta Sindhava or Sapta Sindhu (the land of seven rivers). This is the region in which Aryans first settled.