“This is a large and beautiful city. It is surrounded by a massive wall. It…
2016
“This is a large and beautiful city. It is surrounded by a massive wall. It has 570 towers and 64 gates. The houses of two or three storeys are built of wood and mud brick. The king’s palace is also of wood and decorated with stone carvings. It is surrounded by gardens and enclosures for keeping birds.” Above description belongs to —
- A.
Taxila
- B.
Koshal
- C.
Pataliputra
- D.
Ujjain
Attempted by 349 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: C
Descriptions of wooden walls, multi-storey houses of wood and mud brick, and a wooden royal palace surrounded by gardens match Megasthenes’ account of Pataliputra.
Why the other named places do not fit this passage: Taxila: Known as a major centre of learning, trade and Buddhist monuments; classical descriptions emphasise its forts, stupas and art rather than the exact tower-and-gate counts given here.
Koshal: Refers to an ancient region/kingdom (with capitals such as Ayodhya) rather than to the specific city described in the passage.
Ujjain: An important cultural and commercial city, but historical accounts do not attribute the precise features (570 towers, 64 gates and the wooden palace) described in the passage.
Remember: associate the numbers 570 towers and 64 gates, the wooden fortifications, and Megasthenes’ description with Pataliputra when identifying this passage.