The famous iron pillar of Mehrauli, Delhi, which has withstood corrosion for centuries, is historically attributed to which ruler?

💡 Solution & Explanation

The Mehrauli Iron Pillar features a well-preserved Sanskrit inscription in the Brahmi script that explicitly mentions a victorious king named Chandra, whom historians have conclusively identified as Chandragupta II of the imperial Gupta dynasty. In contrast, rulers like Samudragupta or Skandagupta are associated with distinct pillar inscriptions such as the Allahabad Prasasti and the Bhitari pillar inscription respectively. The pillar is widely celebrated in Indian metallurgy for its high corrosion resistance, achieved through a protective passive film rich in iron hydrogen phosphate hydrate.