Consider the following events in the history of India: 1. Rise of Pratiharas under King Bhoja 2. Establishment of Pallava power under Mahendravarman-I 3. Establishment of Chola power by Parantaka-I 4. Pala dynasty founded by Gopala What is the correct chronological order of the above events, starting from the earliest time?

Answer: C. The correct chronological order is 2 - 4 - 1 - 3. (2) ESTABLISHMENT OF PALLAVA POWER UNDER MAHENDRAVARMAN I (c. 600 CE / early 7th century). Mahendravarman I (r. c. 600-630 CE), son of Simhavishnu, is regarded as the consolidator of imperial Pallava power at Kanchipuram. He was a contemporary and rival of the Chalukya king Pulakeshin II. Mahendravarman is famous for rock-cut cave temples (Mahendravadi, Mandagapattu) and for his Sanskrit farce 'Mattavilasa Prahasana'. EARLIEST of the four events. (4) PALA DYNASTY FOUNDED BY GOPALA (c. 750 CE / mid-8th century). After the death of Sasanka and the decades of anarchy ('matsya nyaya') in Bengal, the local chiefs and notables ELECTED GOPALA as king around 750 CE. Gopala founded the PALA DYNASTY which would dominate eastern India (Bengal-Bihar) for the next four centuries. The Palas became major patrons of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism (Nalanda, Vikramashila, Odantapuri). SECOND in order. (1) RISE OF PRATIHARAS UNDER KING BHOJA (c. 836-885 CE / late 9th century). The Pratiharas (Gurjara-Pratiharas), based at Kannauj, reached imperial heights under MIHIRA BHOJA (also called Bhoja I, r. c. 836-885 CE). He consolidated Pratihara rule across north and central India and successfully repelled Arab incursions from Sindh. (Note: there was also a later Paramara Bhoja c. 1010-1055 CE of Malwa, but the question refers to the Pratihara Bhoja in the context of 'rise of Pratiharas'.) THIRD in order. (3) CHOLA POWER ESTABLISHED BY PARANTAKA I (c. 907-955 CE / early 10th century). The Imperial Chola dynasty had been founded by Vijayalaya (c. 850 CE) but was firmly ESTABLISHED AS AN IMPERIAL POWER under PARANTAKA I (r. 907-955 CE), grandson of Vijayalaya. Parantaka I defeated the Pandyas (battle of Velur) and a Sinhalese army, extending Chola rule across the Tamil south. He was succeeded by his son Gandaraditya. The Cholas would peak under Rajaraja I (985-1014) and Rajendra I (1014-1044). LATEST among the four events. So chronological order: Pallava under Mahendravarman I (c. 600), Pala by Gopala (c. 750), Pratihara under Bhoja (c. 850), Chola under Parantaka I (c. 910), giving 2 - 4 - 1 - 3. Source: NCERT Class 7 Our Pasts II; NCERT Class 12 Themes in Indian History; R.S. Sharma 'India's Ancient Past'; Romila Thapar 'Early India'.