Which of the following inscription records the history of a guild of silk weavers who originally lived in Lata (Gujarat) and migrated to a place known as Dashapura?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Mandasor Inscription
A stone inscription of about the fifth century CE, found at Mandasor in Madhya Pradesh, records the history of a guild of silk weavers. They first lived in Lata (Gujarat) and then moved, with their children and kinfolk, to Mandasor, then called Dashapura, because they had heard of the greatness of the local king. The inscription shows that the members of a guild could take up other occupations and that they jointly built a temple to the sun god.
Note: A same/similar question was asked in CUET (UG) in the papers below.
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
| 11-05 S2 | 03-06 S2* | – | – | – |
* A similar question.
NCERT (2025-26): “3.3 Jatis and social mobility … We seldom come across documents that record the histories of these groups. But there are exceptions. One interesting stone inscription (c. fifth century CE), found in Mandasor (Madhya Pradesh), records the history of a guild of silk weavers who originally lived in Lata (Gujarat), from where they … migrated to Mandasor, then known as Dashapura. It states that they undertook the difficult journey along with their children and kinfolk, as they had heard about the greatness of the local king, and wanted to settle in his kingdom.…” |