RAS question
The 'Mer' or 'Merwara' region of Rajasthan is located around which modern area?
Correct answer: (C) Ajmer.
The Mer or Merwara region of Rajasthan is located around Ajmer, especially in the hilly tract south and west of Ajmer city.
Explanation
Merwara means the land of the Mers. In Rajasthan's history, it refers to the hilly tract around Ajmer, particularly south and west of the city. According to the Rajasthan Foundation's Ajmer profile, Ajmer lies in central Rajasthan, and the western part of Ajmer district is hilly because it is close to the Aravali ranges. The profile also notes that the British constituted the region as the Chief Commissioner's province of Ajmer-Merwara in 1878. Much of this province consisted of the Ajmer and Merwara subdivisions. The administrative name Ajmer-Merwara preserves the region's connection with Ajmer. Merwara was not a separate modern city, nor was it associated with Jodhpur, Udaipur or Jaipur; it was a historical tract linked to Ajmer and later administered with Ajmer under British rule. Therefore, Ajmer is the correct modern reference.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Jodhpur was not associated with the Ajmer-Merwara province or the Merwara subdivision, so Merwara cannot be identified with modern Jodhpur.
- (B) Udaipur belongs to the distinct historical region of Mewar; Merwara was associated with Ajmer, not Udaipur.
- (D) Jaipur lies east of Ajmer, but Merwara was associated with the hilly tract around Ajmer and the Ajmer-Merwara province.
Concept
Understanding Rajasthan's historical-geographical regions requires attention to both physical geography and colonial administrative names. Merwara is connected with both the hilly Ajmer tract and the British-era administrative arrangement called Ajmer-Merwara. For RAS preparation, matching administrative history and regional identity with present-day districts helps clarify the relationship between Rajasthan's history and geography.