By the fourth century BCE ______ was the capital and one of the largest cities in Asia, subsequently its importance declined. When the Chinese pilgrim Xuan Zang visited the city in the seventh century CE, he found it in ruins, and with very small population.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Pataliputra
Pataliputra began as a village called Pataligrama; by the fourth century BCE it was the capital of the Mauryan Empire and one of the largest cities in Asia, but Xuan Zang found it in ruins in the seventh century CE.
Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| 21-05 S2* | – | – | 05-06 S3 | – |
* A similar question.
NCERT: Themes in Indian History Part I — Chapter 2: Kings, Farmers and Towns (2026-27)
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