Question
UPSC Prelims 2020 Question:
With reference to the history of India, the terms "kulyavapa" and "dronavapa" denote
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Option 1: measurement of land
Detailed Solution
Explanation:
- During the Gupta period, agricultural expansion took place and vast areas of new land were brought under cultivation. The land measures used in eastern India included the adhavapa (3/8–1/2 acre), dronavapa (1½–2 acres), and kulyavapa (12–16 acres). These were the areas required to sow one adhaka, drona, and kulya of grain respectively. Pataka was another land measure, and seems to have been equivalent to 60–80 acres.
- Other terms included pravartavapa (this was much smaller than a kulyavapa), padavarta (over 1 ft), and bhumi. The large number of land measure terms indicate that there was no single standard set of measurement and that different measures were current in different regions.
Therefore, option (1) is the correct answer.
Subject: History | Gupta Age
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