RAS question
Rao Bika, who founded Bikaner in 1488 CE, was the son of which ruler?
Correct answer: (C) Rao Jodha.
Rao Bika, who established himself firmly in Bikaner in 1488 CE and laid the foundation of the Bikaner State, was the son of Rao Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur.
Explanation
Rao Bika was the son of Rao Jodha, who founded Jodhpur. The Rajasthan District Gazetteers, Hanumangarh states that Bika established himself firmly in Bikaner in 1488 after subduing local tribes around the area, and that he laid the foundation of the erstwhile Bikaner State. This matches the standard RAS linkage: Bika was not the heir apparent at Jodhpur, so he moved into the Jangladesh region and founded an independent Rathore kingdom at Bikaner. The question is therefore testing the founder-lineage connection between Jodhpur and Bikaner, not just the date 1488.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Rao Maldeo was a later ruler of Jodhpur, so he cannot be Rao Bika's father in the founder-lineage sequence.
- (B) Rao Ridmal was Rao Jodha's father, which makes him Rao Bika's grandfather rather than his father.
- (D) Rao Satal was another son of Rao Jodha, so he was Rao Bika's brother, not his father.
Concept
This tests the RAS history theme of Rajput state formation in medieval Rajasthan, especially Rathore expansion from Jodhpur to Bikaner. It recurs because founder, dynasty and lineage questions are a compact way to check chronology and political geography together.