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Q88 (IAS/2016) History & Culture › Medieval India › Medieval Indian economy Official Key

With reference to the economic history of medieval India, the term 'Araghatta' refers to

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

In Sanskrit, the word Araghatta has been used in the ancient texts to describe the Persian Wheel.[2] The Persian Wheel is a traditional waterwheel mechanism used for irrigation purposes, consisting of a large wheel with buckets or pots attached to its rim. When operated (usually by animals), the wheel rotates and lifts water from a well or water source, pouring it into irrigation channels to water agricultural fields. This device was an important technological innovation in medieval Indian agriculture, enabling farmers to irrigate their lands more efficiently, particularly in regions where groundwater needed to be lifted for cultivation.

Option A (bonded labour) is incorrect as this concept was referred to by different terms in medieval economic vocabulary. Option B (land grants to military officers) relates to the iqta or jagir system. Option D (wasteland converted to cultivated land) does not correspond to the term Araghatta, which specifically denotes an irrigation device rather than a type of land classification.

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Q. With reference to the economic history of medieval India, the term 'Araghatta' refers to [A] bonded labour [B] land grants made to mili…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10
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This is a classic 'Terminologies in History' question. While the skeleton flags it as web-sourced, this is actually a static fact found in standard Old NCERTs (Satish Chandra) under chapters on 'Economic Life'. It tests the history of technology, specifically irrigation.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
In the economic history of medieval India, what did the term "Araghatta" refer to?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"In Sanskrit the word Araghatta has been used in the ancient texts to describe the Persian Wheel."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states the Sanskrit term 'Araghatta' was used to describe the Persian Wheel.
  • Explains etymology ('ara' = spoke, 'ghatta' = pot) and its use for lifting water from open wells.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"In Sanskrit the word Araghatta has been used in the ancient texts to describe the Persian Wheel."
Why this source?
  • Repeats that 'Araghatta' describes the Persian Wheel and gives the same etymological explanation.
  • Links the device to use in Persia and India, explaining why it is called the Persian wheel.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Reshaping India’s Political Map > People's Lives > p. 55
Strength: 4/5
“Despite shifting political powers between the 13th and 17th centuries, India witnessed vibrant economic activity, thanks to its agrarian foundations, thriving artisanal industries, community-based and temple-based economies, and extensive trade networks. Building on decentralised economic and social systems — such as śhreṇis (guilds), jātis (professionally defined communities), and systems for credit — the Subcontinent remained one of the wealthiest regions in the world. The Sultanate period saw some progress in infrastructural works, especially roads in north India, bridges, a few canals and other irrigation works, apart from the creation of new cities, all of which expanded considerably during the Mughal period.”
Why relevant

Mentions thriving artisanal industries, guilds (śhreṇis) and community-based economic organization — showing that specialized technical and institutional terms appear in medieval economic contexts.

How to extend

A student could check works on medieval artisanal production and guild records to see if 'Araghatta' is a technical term for a craft tool, workshop type, or organization.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 17: Contemporary Issues > REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT > p. 66
Strength: 4/5
“During the Mughal period, the economy was village-based, though under Muslim rule for over 500 years, the society continued to be organised according to Hindu traditions. Caste system was intact. The social disparity often added another dimension to economic exploitation. While the Jajmani System ensured social security, the caste system ensured social immobility. During the medieval period of Indian history, there is historical evidence to indicate that there were food surplus and deficit regions, as trade in food-grains between regions took place. Indian village was highly segmented both socially and economically. There was significant inequality in distribution of farm land.”
Why relevant

Notes infrastructural works in the Sultanate and Mughal periods, especially canals and irrigation — indicating medieval sources record technical terms for water-related devices and works.

How to extend

Using basic knowledge that many water-powered devices (mills, wheels) were part of irrigation/industry, a student might suspect 'Araghatta' refers to a water or grinding device and then check regional technical vocabularies.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Advent of Arabs and Turks > Trade and Urbanization > p. 150
Strength: 3/5
“The establishment of the Delhi Sultanate revived internal trade, stimulated by the insatiable demand for luxury goods by the sultans and nobles. Gold coins, rarely issued in India after the collapse of the Gupta Empire, began to appear once again, indicating the revival of Indian economy. However, there is no evidence of the existence of trade guilds, which had played a crucial role in the economy in the classical age.”
Why relevant

Discusses revival of internal trade and urbanization and references the role (or absence) of guilds in different periods — highlighting that economic vocabulary (names of instruments, institutions) is used in trade/urban studies.

How to extend

A student could consult trade and urbanisation studies (listed references) to locate occurrences of the term 'Araghatta' in merchant or urban contexts to infer its economic function.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > REFERENCE BOOKS > p. 102
Strength: 3/5
“• 1. R.Champakalakshmi, Trade, Ideology and Urbanization in South India 300 BC to 1300, Oxford University Press, 1996 • 2. Kulke Herman (ed), The State in India (1000-1700), Oxford University Press, 1997. • 3. Romila Thapar, A History of India, Vol. I, Penguin, 1980. • 4. Romila Thapar, Early India: From the Origins to AD 1300 (Penguin Paperback), 2003. • 5. Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India from the Stone Age to the 12th Century, Pearson, 2009”
Why relevant

Lists specialist scholarship on trade, ideology and urbanization in South India (e.g., R. Champakalakshmi) where region-specific technical/vernacular economic terms are documented.

How to extend

Knowing these works focus on South India, a student might look there first to see if 'Araghatta' is a South Indian term (e.g., for a mill or workshop) and compare with a map of regional terminology.

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