_______ मात्र, अश्म युगानंतर लगेचच लोह युगाची सुरवात झाली, आणि मध्यंतरीच्या काळातील ताम्र युगाच्या खुणाही सापडत नाहीत.

The correct answer is Option C (Southern India).

Key Points:
• Historical Context: In Southern India, the transition between prehistory and history occurred without an intervening Chalcolithic (Copper) Age.
• Metallurgical Transition: Unlike Northern India, where a well-defined Copper Age (Chalcolithic Period) preceded the Iron Age, South India saw Megalithic builders transitioning directly from Neolithic/Stone Age toolmaking to Iron Age metallurgy around 1000 BCE.
• Megalithic Culture: The Iron Age in South India is predominantly associated with Megalithic burial sites featuring dolmens, cists, and urn burials containing iron implements such as swords, hoes, and sickles.
• Exam Trap: Candidates often confuse Northern and Southern cultural sequences; remember that Chalcolithic cultures (e.g., Jorwe, Malwa, Ochre Coloured Pottery) were prominent in Western, Central, and Northern India, whereas South India experienced a direct jump to Iron.