Correct Answer:
A. Pataliputra
The capital of the Mauryan Empire was Pataliputra, located in modern-day Patna, Bihar. This city served as the administrative, economic, and cultural heart of the vast Mauryan Empire, known for its grand architecture and strategic importance.
- Ujjain was an important ancient city, particularly significant during the Gupta period, but not the primary capital of the Mauryan Empire.
- Taxila was a renowned ancient city and a center of learning and trade, located in the northwest, but it was not the imperial capital.
- Kannauj rose to prominence much later, becoming a significant political center during the post-Gupta period, centuries after the Mauryan Empire.