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RAS question

Ujjain (Avantika) was the capital of which Mahajanapada?

Correct answer: (C) Avanti.

Ujjain, also called Ujjayini or Avantika, was a capital of the Avanti Mahajanapada.

  1. (A)

    Vatsa

  2. (B)

    Magadha

  3. (C)

    Avanti

  4. (D)

    Kuru

Explanation

Ujjain points to Avanti because eGyanKosh places the Avanti Mahajanapada in the Malwa region of central India and states that Avanti had two capitals: Ujjayini, near modern Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, and Mahishmati. This matches the standard exam formulation that Ujjain or Avantika was the capital of northern Avanti, while Mahishmati served as the southern capital. Pradyota was Avanti's famous ruler, and Avanti stood among the four most powerful Mahajanapadas with Magadha, Kosala, and Vatsa. So the place-name is not a generic ancient city clue; it directly anchors the question to Avanti.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) Vatsa was a separate powerful Mahajanapada, but Ujjain belongs to northern Avanti, not to Vatsa.
  • (B) Magadha was another major Mahajanapada, yet Ujjayini near modern Ujjain was one of Avanti's capitals.
  • (D) Kuru was a distinct Mahajanapada, while the capital reference for Ujjayini belongs to Avanti.

Concept

This tests the Ancient India syllabus area on the sixteen Mahajanapadas and their capitals. It recurs in RAS because capital-place clues such as Ujjain, Mahishmati, Kaushambi and Rajagriha are a compact way to test political geography.

Source

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