Ancient History : Vedic Culture: Rig-Vedic

Q 1 / 10

UPSC CSE Prelims 2026

Consider the following statements about the Rigvedic period:

  1. 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.
  2. 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:

EXPLANATION

Correct Option

The correct option is 1 and 3 only.

[as per provisional answerkey]

Explanation

The Rigvedic economy was primarily pastoral, but agriculture played a significant role. The expansion of cultivation into the semi-arid regions of Punjab and Haryana necessitated the development of artificial irrigation systems beyond seasonal flooding.

  • Statement 1 is Correct: The Rigveda contains specific terminology related to well-irrigation. The ashma-chakra refers to a stone pulley wheel, and ahava refers to a trough or strapped wooden pails used for lifting water. These technological references confirm that the Rigvedic people possessed the means to access groundwater.
  • Statement 2 is Incorrect: While the Rigveda mentions tools like the parashu (axe) for clearing forests and datra (sickle) for harvesting, these implements relate to land preparation and reaping. They do not provide direct evidence or support for the specific mechanism of drawing water from wells or the use of draught animals for irrigation as described in the premise.
  • Statement 3 is Correct: The use of draught animals, specifically oxen (bullocks), for traction is well-documented in the Vedic and even pre-Vedic (Harappan) contexts. The Rigveda mentions the use of oxen for pulling the langala (plough) and shakata (carts). This established use of animal power for heavy labor supports the inference that draught animals were employed to operate the water-lifting mechanisms from wells.

Key Takeaway

Rigvedic agriculture utilized well-irrigation supported by mechanical devices like stone pulleys (ashma-chakra) and the application of draught-animal power, which facilitated settlement in regions away from perennial river banks.

SOURCEUpsc Cse Prelims Gs Paper I 2026