RAS question
The 'Usha Vishnu Vardhana' Victory Pillar in Bayana Fort (Bharatpur) belongs to which period?
Correct answer: (A) Gupta period.
The Usha Vishnu Vardhana victory pillar, known as Bhimlat, at Bayana Fort in Bharatpur belongs to the Gupta period, specifically the 5th century CE.
Explanation
Bayana Fort's victory pillar, known as Bhim Lath, bears an inscription and belongs to the Gupta period, specifically the 5th century CE. The inscription names Vishnuvardhana, which distinguishes the pillar from the fort's later medieval structures. In its inventory entry for the ancient fort at Bayana, the Archaeological Survey of India connects the Vishnuvardhana inscription with the erection of a sacrificial post and describes Vishnuvardhana as a possible feudatory of the Gupta ruler Samudragupta. A hoard of Gupta gold coins was found nearby, and Bhim Lath is one of the important monuments inside the fort. These inscriptional and Gupta-period associations make the Gupta period the correct answer.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) The Maurya period is incorrect because the pillar is identified through Vishnuvardhana and Gupta-period evidence; no Mauryan ruler, edict, or monument type supports this identification.
- (C) The Sultanate period is incorrect. Bayana Fort has a later medieval history, but the inscription on the Bhim Lath pillar links it to Vishnuvardhana and the Gupta period.
- (D) The Kushan period is incorrect because neither the inscription nor the Archaeological Survey of India inventory connects this pillar with Kushan rule or Kushan material culture; the evidence links it to Vishnuvardhana and the Gupta period.
Concept
Inscriptions help date local monuments. Many Rajasthan forts contain structures from different periods. Therefore, in RAS History, Art and Culture questions, identifying only the fort is not enough; candidates must also identify the relevant monument, dynasty, and inscription.