Correct answer: (a) A-(4), B-(2), C-(1), D-(3)
Explanation
- A
A-(4), B-(2), C-(1), D-(3)
Option A matches Mirat-e-Sikandari with the history of the victory of Gujarat, Burhan-e-Masir with the history of the Bahmanis of Ahmadnagar, Riyaz-us-Salatin with the history of Bengal, and Riyaz-ul-Insha with the collection of Mahmood Gawan's letters, thereby creating a historically accurate and complete mapping across all medieval texts and contexts.
- B
A-(2), B-(4), C-(1), D-(3)
Option B pairs Mirat-e-Sikandari incorrectly with the history of the Bahmanis of Ahmadnagar instead of its correct association with Gujarat.
- C
A-(1), B-(2), C-(4), D-(3)
Option C pairs Mirat-e-Sikandari with the history of Bengal, which contradicts the established authorship and subject matter of Sikandar's historical account.
- D
A-(4), B-(2), C-(3), D-(1)
Option D correctly identifies Mirat-e-Sikandari and Burhan-e-Masir but reverses the contexts for Riyaz-us-Salatin and Riyaz-ul-Insha.
Summary. Official key is (a) A-(4), B-(2), C-(1), D-(3). This question tests the matching of important medieval Persian historical texts with their respective regional or thematic contexts. Aspirants often confuse regional histories like those of Bengal and Gujarat, but rigorous study of primary sources clarifies each attribution. Mahmood Gawan's letters in Riyaz-ul-Insha specifically anchor option (a) as the uniquely correct combination among all choices.