Murshid Quli Khan, Alivardi Khan and Siraj ud Daulah all held the same position under the later Mughals. They were Nawabs of which Indian province?

Introduction / Context:
This question is about the emergence of regional powers in eighteenth century India as Mughal central authority weakened. Murshid Quli Khan, Alivardi Khan and Siraj ud Daulah represent a line of powerful provincial rulers who, while nominally subordinate to the Mughal emperor, acted as almost independent princes. Identifying which province they ruled connects their names to the economic and political importance of that region, especially in the context of the rise of British power.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Three individuals are named: Murshid Quli Khan, Alivardi Khan and Siraj ud Daulah.
• The question asks of which region they were Nawabs.
• Options include Lucknow, Varanasi, Hyderabad, Bengal and Awadh.
• We assume knowledge of the main eighteenth century Nawabships in India.

Concept / Approach:
Murshid Quli Khan is widely known as the first Nawab of Bengal, who shifted the capital to Murshidabad. Alivardi Khan succeeded him as Nawab of Bengal. Siraj ud Daulah, Alivardi's grandson, was the last independent Nawab of Bengal before the British victory at Plassey. Lucknow and Awadh (with capital at Faizabad and later Lucknow) were associated with the Nawabs of Awadh, like Shuja ud Daulah and Asaf ud Daulah. Hyderabad was the seat of the Nizams. Varanasi was a smaller regional centre, not ruled by these three Nawabs. Therefore, the correct association is that all three were Nawabs of Bengal.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Murshid Quli Khan is connected with the establishment of the Nawabship of Bengal and the founding of Murshidabad. Step 2: Remember that Alivardi Khan followed him as Nawab of Bengal and fought off Maratha raids. Step 3: Recognise Siraj ud Daulah as Alivardi Khan's grandson and the last independent Nawab, defeated at Plassey. Step 4: Note that these events all occurred in eastern India, in the rich province of Bengal. Step 5: Choose Bengal from the options as their common province.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can think of the three major successor states of the Mughals: Bengal, Awadh and Hyderabad. The first is linked with Murshid Quli Khan, Alivardi Khan and Siraj ud Daulah. The second, Awadh, is associated with Nawabs like Safdar Jang and Shuja ud Daulah. The third, Hyderabad, is associated with the Nizams starting from Nizam ul Mulk. Since our three names are always mentioned in the context of Bengal and the Battle of Plassey, it confirms that they were Nawabs of Bengal, not of Awadh, Lucknow, Varanasi or Hyderabad.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Lucknow: Later capital of the Nawabs of Awadh, not of the Bengal Nawabs mentioned here.

Varanasi: An important religious centre but not the seat of these Nawabs; it had its own local rulers and later British influence.
Hyderabad: Seat of the Nizams in the Deccan, unrelated to Murshid Quli Khan, Alivardi Khan or Siraj ud Daulah.
Awadh: A powerful province ruled by its own line of Nawabs, but distinct from Bengal in eastern India.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Bengal Nawabs with those of Awadh because both provinces became semi independent under weak Mughal emperors. Another error is to focus on city names like Lucknow or Hyderabad without checking which characters in the options are historically linked with them. A good strategy is to memorise a few solid associations: Murshid Quli Khan and Alivardi Khan with Bengal, Shuja ud Daulah with Awadh, and Nizam ul Mulk with Hyderabad. This mental map makes questions like this much easier.

Final Answer:
Murshid Quli Khan, Alivardi Khan and Siraj ud Daulah were all Nawabs of Bengal.