RAS question
The Negada temple inscription (971 CE) provides information about which dynasty?
Correct answer: (C) Guhilas of Mewar.
The Negada, or Nagda, temple inscription of 971 CE gives information about the early Guhilas of Mewar.
Explanation
The inscription points to the Guhila dynasty of Mewar, not to the other Rajput lineages listed in the options. The Negada, or Nagda, temple inscription of 971 CE is a valuable source for the early Guhilas, and Nagda near Udaipur was their early capital before the shift to Chittorgarh. Wikipedia - Guhila dynasty describes the Guhilas of Medapata, commonly called the Guhilas of Mewar, and lists Nagda among their capitals. It also treats a 971 CE inscription of Naravahana as the earliest extant inscription giving the dynasty's genealogy, with the readable names Guhila, Bappa and Naravahana.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Chauhans of Ajmer are not the dynasty identified by the 971 CE Negada/Nagda inscription.
- (B) The Rathores of Marwar do not match the inscription's Mewar setting or its link to the Guhila genealogy.
- (D) The Paramaras of Abu are a different dynasty; the relevant 971 CE inscription is tied to the Guhilas of Mewar and their Nagda-Ahar context.
Concept
This tests early medieval Rajasthan epigraphy, especially how inscriptions establish dynastic genealogy and political geography. RAS often returns to such sources because they connect place names, dates and ruling houses in Rajasthan history.