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 :
Options
📖Detailed Explanation
Explanation:
Statement I and II describe agricultural development in the Rigveda period, particularly the expansion of agriculture through irrigation from wells and the use of draught animals for lifting water. Statement 1 supports these ideas because the Rigveda refers to devices such as the ashma-chakra (stone wheel/pulley) and avata/ahava (water-lifting mechanisms), which indicate the use of wells and mechanical means for irrigation. These tools are directly relevant to the idea of irrigation expanding cultivation into drier plains, supporting statement I and II.
Statement 3 also supports the argument because the use of oxen for ploughing and carting implies established animal husbandry and draught power, which is consistent with the use of animals in agricultural and irrigation activities, thereby indirectly supporting both statements.
However, statement 2, which refers to tools like parashu/kulisha (axe) and datra/sreni (sickle), relates to general agricultural implements but does not specifically support the claims about irrigation systems or draught-animal powered water lifting. It is about cultivation tools rather than irrigation technology. Therefore, only statements 1 and 3 support the given assertions, making option (c) correct.
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