By signing in you confirm you are 18 or older, or have your parent’s or guardian’s consent.

UPSC Prelims 2025 GS Paper 1, question 13

Topic: Ancient history

Q13

The irrigation device called ‘Araghatta’ was

  1. (a) a water bag made of leather pulled over a pulley
  2. (b) a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokesCorrect answer
  3. (c) a larger earthen pot driven by bullocks
  4. (d) a large water bucket pulled up by rope directly by hand

Solution.

Answer: (b) a large wheel with earthen pots tied to the outer ends of its spokes

  1. In early medieval and medieval Indian texts, the 'Araghatta' (or Ghati-yantra) refers to a water-lifting wheel with a garland or rim of earthen pots tied to its outer circumference.
  2. Before the introduction of the geared pin-drum mechanism (saqiya / Persian wheel), the Araghatta operated as a noria wheel lifting water via attached pots.