Read the passage and answer the question:
Krishnadeva Raya's rule was characterised by expansion and consolidation. This was the time when the land between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers (the Raichur doab) was acquired (1512), the rulers of Orissa were subdued (1514) and severe defeats were inflicted on the Sultan of Bijapur (1520). Although the kingdom remained in a constant state of military preparedness, it flourished under conditions of unparalleled peace and prosperity. Krishnadeva Raya is credited with building some fine temples and adding impressive gopurams to many important South Indian temples.
Which of the following was not a reason for the unparalleled peace and prosperity of the region referred in the paragraph?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Chauth and Sardeshmukhi taxes collected from the neighbouring states.
The passage ties the peace and prosperity of the kingdom to Krishnadeva Raya’s expansion and consolidation: the fertile Raichur doab was acquired, the rulers of Orissa were subdued and the Sultan of Bijapur was defeated.
Option (1) Political expansion and administrative consolidation of the region by Krishnadeva Raya. — Correct statement. The passage opens by saying that his rule was characterised by expansion and consolidation, and the kingdom flourished under this rule.
Option (2) Subjugation of neighbouring regions/states. — Correct statement. The rulers of Orissa were subdued (1514) and severe defeats were inflicted on the Sultan of Bijapur (1520), so the neighbouring powers were held in check.
Option (3) Inclusion of highly fertile doab land between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers. — Correct statement. The land between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers, the Raichur doab, was acquired in 1512. The Vijayanagara kings competed with their rivals for control of such fertile river valleys.
Option (4) Chauth and Sardeshmukhi taxes collected from the neighbouring states. — Incorrect statement. The passage says nothing about taxes collected from neighbouring states. Chauth and sardeshmukhi were levies of a much later age, collected by the Marathas, so they cannot explain the prosperity of Krishnadeva Raya’s kingdom.
Note: The terms ‘chauth’ and ‘sardeshmukhi’ in Option (4) are not in NCERT (2026-27). Chauth was a levy of one-fourth of the land revenue, and sardeshmukhi a further levy of one-tenth, which the Marathas collected from areas outside their direct rule in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. They are explained here for the benefit of the students.
NCERT (2026-27): “2. Rayas, Nayakas and Sultans … On their northern frontier, the Vijayanagara kings competed with contemporary rulers – including the Sultans of the Deccan and the Gajapati rulers of Orissa – for control of the fertile river valleys and the resources generated by lucrative overseas trade.… 2.2 The apogee and decline of the empire … Krishnadeva Raya belonged to the Tuluva dynasty. Krishnadeva Raya’s rule was characterised by expansion and consolidation. This was the time when the land between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers (the Raichur doab) was acquired (1512), the rulers of Orissa were subdued (1514) and severe defeats were inflicted on the Sultan of Bijapur (1520). Although the kingdom remained in a constant state of military preparedness, it flourished under conditions of unparalleled peace and prosperity. Krishnadeva Raya is credited with building some fine temples and adding impressive gopurams to many important south Indian temples. He also founded a suburban township near Vijayanagara called Nagalapuram after his mother.…” |