Which of the following epigraphical sources provides the most comprehensive contemporary evidence regarding the military campaigns and territorial expansion of King Harshavardhana into the Himalayan borderlands, directly touching upon regions adjacent to ancient Uttarakhand?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Banskhera copper plate inscription issued by Emperor Harsha provides direct insights into his administrative machinery, royal titles, and territorial control in northern India, complementing literary accounts like Banabhatta's Harshacharita which reference Himalayan vassal states. The Aihole inscription details Pulakeshin II's victory over Harsha on the Narmada. The Hathigumpha inscription relates to Kharavela of Kalinga, and the Allahabad Pillar documents Samudragupta's conquests. Banskhera is particularly valued by historians for bearing Harsha's personal royal signature.