Between 4th to 9th century, Kanchipuram served as the capital of which kingdom?

The correct answer is A, Dantidurga. Dantidurga founded the Rashtrakuta dynasty in the middle of the eighth century, threw off the overlordship of the Chalukyas of Badami by defeating Kirtivarman II, and took imperial titles; his successors ruled from Manyakheta, the modern Malkhed. Option B is wrong because Harihara I founded the Vijayanagara empire with his brother Bukka in 1336, six centuries later and in a different part of the Deccan. Option C is wrong because Uttama was a Chola ruler who came between Parantaka II and Rajaraja I, and belonged to the Tamil country, not Karnataka. Option D is wrong because Bindusara was the second Mauryan emperor, the son of Chandragupta Maurya and the father of Ashoka, and has nothing to do with the Rashtrakutas. Remember the chain: the Chalukyas of Badami were overthrown by the Rashtrakutas, who were later displaced by the Chalukyas of Kalyani. Krishna I of the Rashtrakutas is remembered for the Kailasa temple at Ellora, and Amoghavarsha I for the Kannada work Kavirajamarga.

The correct answer is D, Thanjavur. Vijayalaya, who founded the line of the imperial Cholas in the middle of the ninth century, captured the Kaveri delta from the Muttaraiyar chiefs and built Thanjavur, which became the Chola capital and later the site of Rajaraja I's Brihadeeswara temple. Option A is wrong because Tiruchirappalli, with its rock fort, is associated with the Pallavas and later the Nayakas of Madurai rather than with Vijayalaya. Option B is wrong because Tiruppur is a modern textile town of western Tamil Nadu with no place in Chola history. Option C is wrong because Madurai was the capital of the Pandyas, the rivals the Cholas fought repeatedly in the far south. Remember the Chola capitals in order: Thanjavur under Vijayalaya and Rajaraja I, and Gangaikonda Cholapuram built by Rajendra I.

The correct answer is D, Pallava. Mahendravarman I ruled the Pallava kingdom from Kanchipuram in the early seventh century, fought Pulakeshin II of Badami, began the rock-cut mandapas of the Tamil country and bore the titles Vichitrachitta and Mattavilasa, the second being the name of the Sanskrit farce attributed to him. Option A is wrong because the Pandyas ruled from Madurai and are remembered for rulers such as Nedunjeliyan and, much later, Maravarman Sundara Pandya. Option B is wrong because the Chola line of this period begins with Vijayalaya in the ninth century, two centuries after Mahendravarman. Option C is wrong because the Chalukyas of Badami were the Pallavas' chief enemies; it was Pulakeshin II who defeated Mahendravarman I and Narasimhavarman I who later sacked Badami in revenge. Keep the Pallava rulers in order: Simhavishnu, Mahendravarman I, Narasimhavarman I and Narasimhavarman II Rajasimha.

The correct answer is C, Ajatashatru. The Buddhist text Mahaparinibbana Sutta and the Jaina tradition credit Ajatashatru of the Haryanka dynasty with two engines used in his long war against the Lichchhavis of Vaishali: the Mahashilakantaka, which hurled great stones, and the Rathamusala, a chariot fitted with a mace that swept down ranks of soldiers. Option A is wrong because Mahapadma Nanda founded the Nanda dynasty a century later and is remembered for his vast army and his humble origin. Option B is wrong because Shishunaga founded the Shishunaga dynasty after the Haryankas and is remembered for destroying the power of Avanti. Option D is wrong because Chanda Pradyota was the ruler of Avanti, a rival of Magadha, not its king. Remember the Haryanka order: Bimbisara, Ajatashatru and then Udayin, who founded Pataliputra.

The correct answer is B, Mahapadma Nanda. Mahapadma Nanda founded the Nanda dynasty in about the middle of the fourth century BCE after displacing the Shishunagas, and the Puranas call him Ekarat, the sole sovereign, and Sarva-kshatrantaka, the destroyer of all Kshatriyas, because he is described as a ruler of low birth who uprooted the older ruling families. Option A is wrong because Dhana Nanda was the last of the line, the ruler whom Chandragupta Maurya overthrew with Chanakya's help. Option C is wrong because Shishunaga founded the earlier Shishunaga dynasty, which the Nandas replaced. Option D is wrong because Kalashoka, or Kakavarna, was a Shishunaga ruler in whose reign the second Buddhist council was held at Vaishali. The order to remember is Haryanka, Shishunaga, Nanda and then Maurya. The later Guptas of Magadha are a separate, weaker line and should not be confused with this imperial house.