Harshavardhan & the Southern Dynasties: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Ancient History)

Explanation

Option (a) is incorrect: Pulakeshin-I was the founder of the Chalukya dynasty and ruled in the early 6th century, i.e. before Harsha’s time.

Option (b) is correct: Emperor Harsha (606-647 CE) expanded his empire across North India, ruling from Kannauj and influencing regions like Punjab, Bengal, Odisha, and Central India. Seeking to extend his control southward beyond the Vindhyas, he invaded the Deccan but was defeated by Pulakeshin II, the Chalukya ruler (c. 610-642 CE), around 618-619 CE at the Narmada River. This defeat established the Narmada as the boundary between Harsha’s northern empire and the Chalukyan kingdom, preventing further expansion into the south.

Option (c) is incorrect: Vikramaditya-I was a later Chalukya king, ruling after Pulakeshin-II.

Option (d) is incorrect: Vikramaditya-II ruled even later than Vikramaditya-I and his reign did not overlap with Harsha’s.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The Cholas were successful in defeating the Pandya and Chera rulers, establishing a stronghold in peninsular India, and significantly expanding their territorial control in South India during the early medieval period. For example, under Rajaraja I and Rajendra I, the Cholas defeated these rulers and extended their empire across peninsular India.

Statement 2 is correct: The Cholas were also known for their naval power and maritime trade, which led them to conduct expeditions to South-East Asia. Their naval campaigns extended the Chola influence to regions like Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Indonesia, where they challenged the Sailendra Empire. For instance, Rajendra Chola I led a successful naval expedition (1025 CE) against the Srivijaya Empire (modern-day Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand). The Cholas temporarily conquered some areas, demonstrating their naval supremacy in the region.