UPSC Prelims 2025 · Question 23 of 100

UPSC Prelims 2025 question on Araghatta Irrigation Wheel

The irrigation device called 'Araghatta' was

  1. a water bag made of leather pulled over a pulley
  2. a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes
  3. a larger earthen pot driven by bullocks
  4. a large water bucket pulled up by rope directly by handara
Show answer

Answer: B. a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes

Verdict

Correct answer: Option (b) — a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes.

Analysis

The 'Araghatta' originates from the blend of the words 'ara' which means talked and 'ghatta' which means pot. It was a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes — a water-lifting device using a wheel mechanism with pots arranged around it to draw water from open wells. This arrangement for lifting water from open wells was presumably designed in the India of the past.

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