Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 2:

The correctly matched pair is **Pagoda at Purushpur: Kanishka**. Purushpur, modern-day Peshawar, was the capital of the Kushan Empire under its most famous ruler, Kanishka I (c. 127–150 CE). Kanishka was a great patron of Buddhism and is credited with the construction of a massive stupa or pagoda in Purushpur, often referred to as the Kanishka Stupa. This monumental structure was one of the tallest buildings of the ancient world and served as a major center of Buddhist learning and pilgrimage, firmly linking Kanishka's reign to this site. This patronage of architecture and religion highlights Kanishka’s influence on the spread of Buddhism in Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

The incorrect option is 1: **Sanchi Stupa: Menander**. The Sanchi Stupa, one of India’s oldest and most important Buddhist monuments, was originally built by the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE, and later extensively renovated and expanded by the Shungas. Menander (Milinda) was an Indo-Greek king who ruled much later and was centered in the Punjab region (Sagala), with no direct historical connection as the founder or key patron of the Sanchi stupa.

The incorrect option is 3: **Hathigumpha Inscription: Ashoka**. The Hathigumpha Inscription is located in Odisha and records the achievements of the Jain king Kharavela of Kalinga, who reigned in the 1st or 2nd century BCE, not the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. Ashoka is famous for his pillar and rock edicts, but this specific inscription belongs to Kharavela.

The incorrect option is 4: **Shinkot Inscription: Kharavela**. The Shinkot Inscription is a Kharosthi inscription discovered in Bajaur (modern Pakistan) and is associated with the Indo-Scythian King Menander (or a related Indo-Scythian figure), not King Kharavela. Kharavela is primarily linked to the aforementioned Hathigumpha Inscription.