Which Mahajanapada had its capital at Kaushambi?
Correct answer: (A) Vatsa.
The Mahajanapada with its capital at Kaushambi was Vatsa.
Explanation
Kaushambi is the identifying clue because it was the capital of the Vatsa Mahajanapada. The district history page describes ancient Kaushambi as the capital of the Chedi-Vatsa janapada and also records the tradition that Nicaksu shifted the capital from Hastinapura to Kaushambi after Hastinapura was ravaged by floods and other troubles. This matches the standard exam explanation: Kaushambi, near present-day Prayagraj/Allahabad, was associated with Vatsa and King Udayana. Its importance was not merely political; the source notes that, in Buddha's time, Kaushambi was a prosperous town and a major centre of routes, river traffic and trade.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Avanti does not fit Kaushambi because its capitals were Ujjain and Mahishmati, not Kaushambi.
- (C) Surasena is ruled out because its capital was Mathura, so Kaushambi cannot identify it.
- (D) Anga is not the answer because its capital was Champa, whereas Kaushambi points to Vatsa.
Concept
This tests the ancient-history map link between Mahajanapadas and their capitals. It recurs in RAS because such capital-place associations are compact, factual and easy to test in prelims-style questions.