The famous iron pillar of Mehrauli in Delhi, which has defied rust for over sixteen centuries, was originally erected during the reign of which ruler?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Iron Pillar features a Sanskrit inscription in Brahmi script that mentions a king named Chandra, widely identified by historians as Chandragupta II of the Gupta Dynasty. Other military conquerors of the period like Samudragupta left distinct pillars such as the Allahabad Prashasti rather than this specific Mehrauli monument. The exceptional corrosion resistance of the pillar is attributed to a protective passive film of iron hydrogen phosphate hydrate.