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Prelims 2023 · Q43 · Mauryas, Guptas & southern dynasties

With reference to ancient South India, Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri were well known as

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Answer: B. Korkai (Pandyas), Poompuhar or Kaveripattinam (Cholas) and Muziris (Cheras) were well-known ports of the Sangam age, trading with Rome and South-East Asia.

Watch for: Each port belonged to a Sangam kingdom, so students confuse them with capitals.

Why the other options are wrong
  • A. Wrong because the capitals were Madurai, Uraiyur and Vanji, not these towns.
  • C. Wrong because they are not known as iron-and-steel centres.
  • D. Wrong because they are not known as Jain shrines.

Source to check: NCERT Class 6 Our Pasts I, Ch 'Traders, Kings and Pilgrims'; NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History Part I, Ch 2 Kings, Farmers and Towns

Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.