Royal power

The foundation of the Vijayanagara Empire is traditionally associated with the brothers Harihara and Bukka, who established the kingdom in the Deccan in the fourteenth century. Their rise is connected with the Sangama dynasty and the political reorganization of southern India after the expansion of the Delhi Sultanate into the region. The other pairs belong to Mughal or Maratha history and were not the founders of Vijayanagara. Thus, option A is correct.

Krishnadeva Raya was the most celebrated ruler of the Vijayanagara Empire and belonged to the Tuluva dynasty. His reign is associated with military success, flourishing trade, temple building and literary activity. The Bahmani Kingdom was a rival Deccan power, while the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire were different political formations.

Krishnadeva Raya belonged to the Tuluva dynasty and ruled Vijayanagara from 1509 to 1529. His reign is remembered for military victories, strong administration, temple patronage and literary achievements. Sangama was the first ruling dynasty, Saluva followed it for a shorter period, and Aravidu ruled after the later political transformation of the empire.

In 1565, the Vijayanagara forces were defeated at the Battle of Talikota by an alliance of Deccan Sultanates. The capital was subsequently attacked and suffered extensive destruction, weakening the empire severely, although Vijayanagara political authority did not disappear immediately. The battle is not connected with the Mughal, Mauryan or Gupta empires, so A is correct.

The Raichur Doab, the fertile land between the Krishna and Tungabhadra rivers, was strategically and economically important. Both the Bahmani and Vijayanagara states sought control over it, leading to repeated conflict. The Ganga Doab, Kaveri Delta and Kutch belonged to different regional contexts and were not the central disputed zone in this rivalry, so A is correct.