Mahajanapada Capitals: Identifying the Wrong Match
The question asks to identify the incorrectly matched pair between a Mahajanapada (an ancient Indian kingdom) and its capital city.
Mahajanapada Capital Pair Analysis
We need to evaluate each listed Mahajanapada-Capital pair:
- Option 1: Panchala – Mathura This is the wrongly matched pair. The Panchala Mahajanapada had two main capitals: Ahichhatra for Northern Panchala and Kampilya for Southern Panchala. Mathura was the capital of the neighbouring Surasena Mahajanapada.
- Option 2: Matsya – Bairat The Matsya kingdom's capital was Viratanagara, commonly identified with Bairat. This pair is correctly matched.
- Option 3: Kosala – Sravasti The capital of the Kosala Mahajanapada was Sravasti. This pair is correctly matched.
- Option 4: Magadha – Girivraja The ancient capital of the Magadha kingdom was Girivraja (later known as Rajagriha). This pair is correctly matched.
Conclusion on Incorrect Pairing
The pair Panchala – Mathura is incorrect because Mathura was the capital of the Surasena Mahajanapada, not Panchala. The correct capitals for Panchala were Ahichhatra and Kampilya.