Prelims 2017 · Q51
MediumWhich one of the following was a very important seaport in the Kakatiya kingdom?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) Motupalli
Motupalli, on the Andhra coast near Chirala, was the chief port of the Kakatiya kingdom. The Kakatiya king Ganapatideva issued an edict of safety there in 1244-45 promising overseas merchants protection and fixed duties.
- ✓ (b) Ganapatideva's Abhaya Sasana, carved on a pillar at Motupalli, guaranteed traders safety and the payment of only the usual duties, which shows it was the kingdom's main port for overseas trade.
- ✗ (c) Machilipatnam (Masulipatnam) is another Andhra coastal town, but it is not the port linked with the Kakatiya kingdom.
- ✗ (a) Kakinada is also on the Andhra coast, but it was not the Kakatiya kingdom's chief port.
Remember · Kakatiya port: Motupalli. Ganapatideva's Abhaya Sasana (1244-45) there protected overseas merchants and fixed duties.
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 7 Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Ch 4 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- National Academy of Customs, Indirect Taxes and Narcotics (Ministry of Finance): Indian Customs, 2024 ↗ “the great Kakatiya King Ganapatideva envisaged in his famous tariff pillar in Motupalli that the glorious pillar edict resembles a staff for the support of dharma, the eternal law of justice.”
- National Book Trust, India (Ministry of Education): Rani Rudrama Devi ↗ “Marco Polo who landed at Motupalli near Chirala and visited Mutfili Fort, saw a state of flourishing sea trade, land trade, agriculture and economy of people in the Kakatiya Kingdom.”
- NCERT Class 7 · Exploring Society: India and Beyond (Part 2), Chapter 4 “The Kakatiya rulers promoted a strong local administration based on village self-governance; they developed an efficient revenue system and an irrigation infrastructure that supported agricultural prosperity.”
- A medieval port town with almost 2,000 years of history, The Hans India (21 August 2021) ↗ · reference work “Maharaja Ganapatideva installed the edict of safety out of mercy and for his glory and merit at the chief port of Kakatiya kingdom”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·