Q. Which of the following conform to the observations of Megasthenes about Mauryan King and his palace?
- Mauryan king were normally surrounded by armed women.
- King’s palace is made up of wood and decorated with stone carvings.
- The king never sleeps in the same bedroom for two nights
Choose the correct options from the codes given below:
Answer:
1, 2 & 3
Notes: Megasthenes was an ambassador who was sent to the court of Chandragupta by the Greek ruler of West Asia named Seleucus Nicator. Megasthenes wrote an account about what he saw:
- The occasions on which the emperor appears in public are celebrated with grand royal processions.
- He is carried in a golden palanquin. His guards ride elephants decorated with gold and silver.
- Some of the guards carry trees on which live birds, including a flock of trained parrots, circle about the head of the emperor.
- The king is normally surrounded by armed women. He is afraid that someone may try to kill him.
- He has special servants to taste the food before he eats.
- He never sleeps in the same bedroom for two nights.
- About Pataliputra (modern Patna) he wrote that it was a large and beautiful city. It is surrounded by a massive wall. It has 570 towers and 64 gates.
- The houses, of two and three storeys, are built of wood and mud brick.
- The king’s palace is also of wood, and decorated with stone carvings. It is surrounded with gardens and enclosures for keeping birds.