To solve the problem of arranging the historic capital cities of Indian kingdoms in order of their geographic locations from north to south, we need to identify the locations of each city.
- Kannauj is located in the northern part of India, in present-day Uttar Pradesh.
- Pataliputra, now known as Patna, is situated in the eastern part of India, in the state of Bihar, south of Kannauj.
- Rajahmundry is located further south, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, towards the eastern coast of India.
- Karur is situated in the southern part of India, in the state of Tamil Nadu.
Based on this geographical information, the correct order from north to south is:
- Kannauj
- Pataliputra
- Rajahmundry
- Karur
Thus, the correct answer is (a)-(c)-(d)-(b).
Let's evaluate the provided options:
- (b)-(d)-(c)-(a): This order starts with Karur which is the southernmost, making it incorrect for a north to south arrangement.
- (a)-(c)-(d)-(b): This matches the order we derived: Kannauj, Pataliputra, Rajahmundry, and Karur.
- (a)-(c)-(b)-(d): This places Karur before Rajahmundry which contradicts their actual geographic positions southwards.
- (c)-(a)-(b)-(d): Pataliputra is placed before Kannauj which is incorrect in north-to-south ordering.
- (c)-(d)-(a)-(b): Again, this places Pataliputra in the north-most position, which is incorrect.
Hence, the correct option is (a)-(c)-(d)-(b).