Idea of cultivation and water lifting techniques of medieval India
Aswani
History works in every second of life. understanding medieval times and their irrigation patterns bring a great bridge to check their agricultural wealth as well as economic stability. The agricultural production was done with concern for nature and this provides the knowledge to present society with a unique system. agriculture in the Medieval period was two field production system. in which irrespective of the size, the land was divided into two and both will be ploughed. but production would be taken from one part only. There are references from foreign accounts which make a comparison between medieval European and Indian agricultural production suggest that In Europe during the medieval period experiments were done and they switched over to three field production system. but this never occurred in the medieval Indian context.
Irrigation is the major part of every cultivation. it also means a level to ensure the manuring of the soil. There were many sources to irrigate the agricultural land. rainwater, wells, canals, groundwater, and channelized flowing water were utilized as water resources. In which rain was the primary source of irrigation. the dry areas were conscious of taping water, so in dry areas, we can see two kinds of wells; Kachha well and Pakka well. Kachcha wells were those that had an absence of boundary and baked bricks and other structures and have high water levels. pakka well has brick lines and put for where the water level is low. in those areas where the water level is very low step-wells are present. stepwells commonly known as baoli, as the name suggests are wells with steps descending into them.
Dhenkli
A simple way of drawing water is through the mechanism of using rope and a bucket. overtime pulli were invented and this reduced the effort in taking water, but this did not applicable to irrigating agricultural land. Dhenkli was another system that had labor power and was used for irrigation. in this, we could not have water at a deep level. Charas was a common existed method of lifting water. in which a large leather bag called Charas is tied at one end of the rope. The other end is used to lift a filled leather bag of water. In this case, lifting force is applied by a pair of bullocks. This technique is used when the water level in the well is quite deep and irrigation is to be supplied to a larger area. both human and animal power is used for this method. and water collected through this method can’t be used for drinking purposes since there are high chances of mixing dirt in the water while the animal is moving.
Rope and pulley
Charas
A system mentioned in the medieval text says about, there would be a large wooden wheel. The size of the wheel is determined by the availability of water and on the wheel, the pots are arranged. The wooden ring has a projection and this required human labour. The wheel is known as Arghatta . since human energy is required there is a limitation in lifting water through this method. Later further improvements were applied, they reduced the size of the wheel and attached it to the water sources. Later a handle wheel was also used for this, it is called Ghattiyantra, the Persian name for it are Saqiya and Noria.
Noria
The Persian wheel is another method used to lift water from water sources typically open wells. it is used in North India in the 16thc and came to Deccan in the 17th c. in which several small pots are connected to a long chain. Two gear wheels make up this method and as the first one is revolved, the pots each dip and swallow water from the well and soon after pour themselves out to a metallic shaft which in turn empties into an elaborate web of channels that spreads water sufficiently via the cropped area . and this work on Pindrum system.
These were some of the water lifting techniques of Medieval India. though most of them are not exist in their actual form their influences and a modified version of them are still visible in many areas.
Check your knowledge
agriculture in the Medieval period was two field production system. in which irrespective of the size, the land was divided into two and both will be ploughed. but production would be taken from one part only.
The Persian wheel is another method used to lift water from water sources typically open wells. it is used in North India in the 16thc and came to Deccan in the 17th c. in which several small pots are connected to a long chain. Two gear wheels make up this method and as the first one is revolved, the pots each dip and swallow water from the well and soon after pour themselves out to a metallic shaft which in turn empties into an elaborate web of channels that spreads water sufficiently via the cropped area . and this work on Pindrum system.
Charas was a common existed method of lifting water. in which a large leather bag called Charas is tied at one end of the rope. The other end is used to lift a filled leather bag of water. In this case, lifting force is applied by a pair of bullocks. This technique is used when the water level in the well is quite deep and irrigation is to be supplied to a larger area. both human and animal power is used for this method. and water collected through this method can’t be used for drinking purposes since there are high chances of mixing dirt in the water while the animal is moving.