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Q20 (IAS/2026) History & Culture › Ancient India Official Key

Consider the following statements about the Rigvedic period :

I. Irrigation from wells allowed agriculture to expand away from flood plains and strips on river margins into the present Punjab and Haryana plains having underground water levels reasonably close to the surface.
II. Draught-animal power was employed to draw up water out of the wells.

Which of the following information support/supports the above statements ?

1. There is evidence in the Rigveda of the use of ashma chakra (stone pulley wheel) and ahava (strapped wooden pails) to draw up water.
2. Mention has been made in the Rigveda of the use of implements like parashu/kulisha (axe) and datra / sreni (sickle).
3. There is a history of the use of ox, even before the Rigveda, for ploughing the land and pulling the carts.

Select the answer using the code given below :

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C

Explanation

The two assertions are: (I) well irrigation enabled agriculture to expand beyond flood plains; (II) draught-animal power was used to draw water from wells.

  • Statement 1 supports both assertions: The ashma chakra (stone pulley wheel) and ahava (strapped wooden pails) are well-irrigation devices, and the use of a draft animal to operate the pail mechanism implies draught-animal power for water lifting — corroborating both I and II.
  • Statement 2 does NOT support either assertion: Parashu/kulisha (axe) and datra/sreni (sickle) are general agricultural/clearing tools related to cultivation and harvesting, not to well irrigation or draught-animal use for drawing water.
  • Statement 3 supports assertion II: Evidence of oxen being used before the Rigvedic period for ploughing and pulling carts establishes the availability of draught-animal power.

Statements 1 and 3 support the given assertions; statement 2 does not. Correct answer: C (1 and 3 only).

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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN

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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Consider the following statements about the Rigvedic period : I. Irrigation from wells allowed agriculture to expand away from flood plains …
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 4/10 · 2/10
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This is a classic bouncer disguised as a standard ancient history question. While the use of oxen before the Rigveda (Harappan period) is a standard NCERT fact, the specific Sanskrit terms for pulleys and sickles are extremely niche. Rely on core concepts and logical elimination rather than trying to memorize every obscure Vedic term.

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
Does the Rigveda mention the use of ashma chakra (stone pulley wheel) and ahava (strapped wooden pails) to draw water from wells?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Early India: The Chalcolithic, Megalithic, Iron Age and Vedic Cultures > Economy: Agriculture > p. 24
Strength: 5/5
“Archaeological evidence points to the development of agriculture among the Rig Vedic people. The ploughshare is mentioned in the Rig Vedas. The field was known as kshetra and the term krishi referred to ploughing. The terms langla and sura referred to plough, and the term sita meant the furrow created by ploughing. Water for irrigation was probably drawn from wells by cattle-driven water-lifts using pulleys. They had knowledge of different seasons, sowing, harvesting, and thrashing.”
Why relevant

This snippet explicitly states that Rig Vedic people drew water from wells using pulleys and cattle-driven water-lifts.

How to extend

A student can use linguistic knowledge to identify 'ashma chakra' as the Sanskrit term for a stone wheel/pulley used in this context.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 2: Early India: The Chalcolithic, Megalithic, Iron Age and Vedic Cultures > Craft Production > p. 25
Strength: 4/5
“The Rig Veda mentions artisans such as carpenters, chariot-makers, weavers and leather-workers. Copper metallurgy was one of the important developments of this period. The term ayas in the Rig Veda refers to copper and bronze. Karmara, smith, is mentioned in the Rig Veda. Likewise, there are references to siri or yarn, indicating spinning which was done by women, and to carpenters, takshan. Weaving of clothes of wool is also referred to, and obviously it was necessary in the cold weather.”
Why relevant

It confirms the Rig Veda mentions specific artisans like carpenters (takshan) and leather-workers.

How to extend

A student can infer that these artisans provided the necessary skills to manufacture wooden pails (ahava) and the leather straps or ropes required for well-pulleys.

Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 6: Pressure, Winds, Storms, and Cyclones > 6.1 Pressure > p. 82
Strength: 3/5
“Broad straps reduce the pressure exerted by the bag on our shoulders as compared to narrow straps. Therefore, we feel more comfortable carrying a bag with broad straps. Can you now understand why it feels easier to lift a water-filled bucket with a broad handle than with a narrow handle (Fig. 6.2)? Similarly, we have seen that when people carry loads like pots or vegetable baskets on their heads, they often place a round piece of cloth under the loads (Fig. 6.3). In both cases, the objective is to reduce pressure by increasing the area over which the weight acts.”
Why relevant

It explains the mechanical advantage and comfort of using broad straps when lifting water-filled buckets.

How to extend

A student can relate this physical principle to the description of 'ahava' as 'strapped' pails, justifying why such a design would be noted in ancient texts.

THEMES IN INDIAN HISTORY PART I, History CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: Bricks, Beads and Bones > 2.1 Agricultural technologies > p. 3
Strength: 3/5
“Archaeologists have also tried to identify the tools used for harvesting. Did the Harappans use stone blades set in wooden handles or did they use metal tools? Most Harappan sites are located in semi-arid lands, where irrigation was probably required for agriculture. Traces of canals have been found at the Harappan site of Shortughai in Afghanistan, but not in Punjab or Sind. It is possible that ancient Fig. 1.3 A terracotta bull”
Why relevant

It shows a technological pattern in early India (Harappan) of combining stone components with wooden handles for tools.

How to extend

A student could hypothesize that this 'stone-on-wood' technological tradition continued into the Vedic period in the form of stone pulley wheels (ashma chakra).

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 9: Agriculture > Table 9.9 > p. 37
Strength: 3/5
“There is wastage of water, water-logging in canal command areas and other ecological problems. Hence, there is a need for a judicious and scientific development of irrigation, full utilisation of its potential and rational pricing of irrigation water. Wells and Tube-Wells: This type of irrigation has been practised in India since the time immemorial. The widely used methods for the utilization of underground water are persian-wheel Rahat, Charas, or mot and tubewells. Out of these, tube-well irrigation is more popular in the Satluj-Ganga plains. Tube-well irrigation accounts for more than 62% of the total irrigated area of the country.”
Why relevant

It notes that well irrigation and methods like the Persian wheel or 'mot' have been practiced in India since 'time immemorial'.

How to extend

A student can use this to support the likelihood that the Rigveda (as an ancient text) would contain the earliest terminology for these persistent technologies.

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

CAPF · 2012 · Q79 Relevance score: -2.72

Consider the following statements about irrigation in Punjab : 1. Intensity of irrigation is the highest among all Indian States. 2. Area under canal irrigation is the highest among all Indian States. 3. There has been severe land degradation in Punjab owing to agricultural modernization including high intensity of irrigation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

CDS-II · 2024 · Q66 Relevance score: -4.49

Consider the following statements with reference to the Utpala dynasty of Kashmir: 1. Avantivarman, the founder, devoted his energies to the economic upliftment of his subjects. 2. Avantivarman's period in Kashmir is known for the engineering operations under his minister Suyya, resulting in the enormous increase of grains and fall in prices. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

CDS-I · 2019 · Q10 Relevance score: -5.11

If one plots the tank irrigation in India and superimposes it with map of well irrigation, one may find that the two are negatively related. Which of the following statements explain the phenomenon? 1. Tank irrigation predates well irrigation. 2. Tank irrigation is in the areas with impervious surface layers. 3. Well irrigation requires sufficient ground water reserves. 4. Other forms of irrigation are not available. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

IAS · 2017 · Q2 Relevance score: -5.41

With reference to the difference between the culture of Rigvedic Aryans and Indus Valley people, which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. Rigvedic Aryans used the coat of mail and helmet in warfare whereas the people of Indus Valley Civilization did not leave any evidence of using them. 2. Rigvedic Aryans knew gold, silver and copper whereas Indus Valley people knew only copper and iron. 3. Rigvedic Aryans had domesticated the horse whereas there is no evidence of Indus Valley people having been aware of this animal. Select the correct answer using the code given below :