Raja Sansar Chand of the Katoch dynasty ascended the throne of Kangra at the tender age of 10 years. Which ruler, his grandfather, had restored the kingdom to its earlier glory before him?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Ghamand Chand
Option (1) Govardhan Chand — Incorrect. Govardhan Chand ruled Guler, not Kangra. Manaku did numerous portraits of him and his family.
Option (2) Ghamand Chand — Correct. Sansar Chand came to the throne after his grandfather Ghamand Chand had restored the kingdom to its earlier glory.
Option (3) Prakash Chand — Incorrect. Prakash Chand, successor of Govardhan Chand, ruled Guler. His master artist Manaku later took service under Sansar Chand.
Option (4) Aniruddha Chand — Incorrect. Aniruddha Chand (1823–1831) was Sansar Chand’s son, not his grandfather. He too was a generous patron.
NCERT (2026-27): “Kangra School …Sansar Chand ascended to the throne at the tender age of 10 years after the kingdom had been restored to its earlier glory by his grandfather Ghamand Chand. They belonged to the Katoch dynasty of rulers, who had been ruling the Kangra region for a long time until Jahangir conquered their territory in the seventeenth century and made them his vassals. After the decline of the Mughal power, Raja Ghamand Chand recovered most of the territory and founded his capital town of Tira Sujanpur on the banks of river Beas and constructed fine monuments.” |