Historical maps are of importance in any history examination. In the UPSC Civil Services Examination (Mains Optional History), there is a section requiring candidates to locate historical sites on a map and give brief descriptions of those sites. This book has been specially designed to meet the needs of the students taking up History as their optional subject in this examination.

Highlights

• Three sets of maps have been presented showing: (i) India through the ages from prehistoric times to immediately after independence; (ii) the sites of historical places of India; and (iii) sites pertaining to specific facets of Indian history and culture. Descriptive texts accompany the maps in the first two sets of maps which will prove adequate to study the third set of maps.
• No distinction has been made between ‘ancient’ and ‘medieval’ in the arrangement of historical sites on the maps as, from the point of view of an examination, the candidate will just be asked to mark the location of a place of historical importance.
• The sites are arranged alphabetically and depicted in maps accompanying each group. The text on each place gives a brief picture of its historical/cultural importance, and the most significant features. The reader is likely to find the arrangement helpful, making it easy to locate sites.
• More than 400 places have been presented.
• Useful guidelines are given on how to remember the location of different places so as to be able to mark the site correctly on a blank map, or to identify sites indicated by numbers on a map.
• A number of practice exercises (including recent examination questions) have been included along with their solutions.
• The book has been prepared after much research and careful study of what will help the student.

Though primarily meant for civil service examination candidates choosing history as an optional subject in the Mains, the book will be of use to candidates of other examinations requiring map study in Indian history.