Ancient and Medieval Indian Rulers

King Dasharatha had three wives: Kousalya (mother of Rama), Sumitra (mother of Lakshmana and Shatrughna), and Kaikeyi (mother of Bharata). Surpanakha was Ravana's sister, not Dasharatha's wife, making her the correct answer for the 'except' option.

After killing Ravana, Lord Rama crowned Vibhishana as the King of Lanka because Vibhishana had righteousness on his side and had advised Ravana to return Sita.

During their 13th year of exile, the Pandavas took refuge in the court of King Virat of Matsya kingdom, each disguised in different roles. This period, known as the 'Agnyatavas' (hidden exile), is a crucial part of the Mahabharata leading up to the Kurukshetra war.

Maya, the divine architect of the Asuras (demons), built the magnificent palace and assembly hall for the Pandavas at Indraprastha. As gratitude for saving his life from a forest fire that Arjuna started, Maya constructed this architectural marvel that became known for its illusions.

This question refers to characters from the famous Tamil historical novel 'Ponniyin Selvan' by Kalki Krishnamurthy. In the story, Naganandhi Adigal is portrayed as the elder brother of Pulikesi (also known as Pandiyan). The other options (Vajrabahu, Kannabhiran, Kundotharan) are characters from the novel but are not Pulikesi's elder brother.

King Harishchandra, known for his absolute truthfulness, donated his entire kingdom to the sage Vishwamitra as part of a test of his integrity. He even sold himself and his family to honor his word. Indra, Durvasa, and Vishnu are not associated with receiving this donation.

Vamana, the dwarf avatar of Lord Vishnu, approached King Mahabali and requested just three paces of land as charity. When granted, Vamana grew to cosmic size and covered the heavens, earth, and underworld in three steps, thereby sending Mahabali to the netherworld.

Bhishma (Bheesma), the grandsire of both the Pandavas and Kauravas, was appointed the first commander-in-chief of the Kaurava army. He led the army for the first 10 days of the Kurukshetra war before falling. His appointment was due to his unbeatable prowess and experience.

Raja Wodeyar established the Kingdom of Mysore in 1578, marking the beginning of the Wodeyar dynasty that ruled Mysore until 1947. The kingdom became one of the most powerful Hindu states in South India, later known for rulers like Tipu Sultan.

The Meenakshi Temple in Madurai was originally built by Kulasekara Pandya, a Pandya king, around the 7th century AD. While the temple complex was extensively expanded and renovated by later rulers including the Nayaks (especially Tirumalai Nayak in the 17th century), its original foundation is attributed to Kulasekara Pandya.

Maya (also known as Maya Danava) was the architect who built the magnificent palace at Indraprastha for the Pandavas, using illusion and architectural marvels. This palace was a key element in the Mahabharata and played a role in the dice gambling episode. Vishwakarma is the divine architect but was not specifically credited with this palace in the epic.

According to the Mahabharata, the Pandavas spent their 13th year of exile in disguise (Agyat Vaas) in the Matsya kingdom. King Virata ruled Matsya and sheltered them during this year. Yudhishthira served as a court counselor, Arjuna as a eunuch dance teacher, and the others in various disguises. This period culminated in the Matsya alliance in the Kurukshetra war.

Shalya was the maternal uncle of Nakula and Sahadeva, being the brother of their mother Madri. Despite this familial connection, he was tricked into fighting for the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra war. Duryodhana had sought Shalya's support, and Shalya had to honor his promise. He eventually became the Kaurava commander after Karna's death.