VEDIC & EARLY HISTORIC TERMS
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| Setu | Dam/bund/embankment |
| Kulya | Irrigation canal |
| Tadaga | Tank/reservoir |
| Pushkarini | Sacred tank |
| Vapi / Baoli | Stepwell |
| Arghatta | Water wheel device |
| Ghati Yantra | Water lifting device |
SOUTH INDIA / CHOLA IRRIGATION TERMS
Very important for UPSC.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| Eri | Tank irrigation system in Tamil region |
| Anaicut | Dam/barrage across river |
| Kallanai | Grand Anicut built by Karikala Chola |
| Nattar | Local assembly supervising irrigation |
| Ur | Village assembly |
| Sabha | Brahmadeya village assembly managing tanks |
| Kudimaramath | Community-based tank maintenance |
MEDIEVAL INDIA IRRIGATION TERMS
Delhi Sultanate
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| Hauz | Water tank/reservoir |
| Hauz Khas | Reservoir built by Alauddin Khalji |
| Shaduf | Manual water lifting device |
| Persian Wheel | Mechanical irrigation device |
MUGHAL PERIOD TERMS
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| Rahat | Persian wheel |
| Chaharbagh | Garden irrigation layout |
| Ain-i-Akbari agrarian details | Revenue and irrigation records |
| Zamindar | Local intermediary in agrarian system |
| Polaj | Regularly cultivated land |
| Parauti | Fallow land temporarily |
| Chachar | Land left uncultivated for 3–4 years |
| Banjar | Waste uncultivated land |
VIJAYANAGARA IRRIGATION TERMS
UPSC favourite area.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| Tank irrigation | Major irrigation model |
| Rayasagara | Large tanks/reservoirs |
| Kere | Tank/lake in Karnataka |
| Nayankara system | Military-feudal system linked with agrarian revenue |
| Amaram | Land assignment to Nayakas |
TRADITIONAL WATER HARVESTING SYSTEMS
Frequently asked in UPSC.
| Region | System |
|---|
| Rajasthan | Johad |
| Rajasthan | Kund |
| Rajasthan | Khadin |
| Bihar | Ahar-Pyne |
| Maharashtra | Bandhara |
| Karnataka | Kere |
| Tamil Nadu | Eri |
| Himachal | Kuhl |
| Meghalaya | Bamboo drip irrigation |
| Gujarat | Vav |
| Ladakh | Zing |
IMPORTANT DEVICES & TECHNIQUES
| Term | Meaning |
|---|
| Persian Wheel | Water lifting wheel |
| Shaduf | Counterpoise water lift |
| Arghatta | Rotating water device |
| Dhenkli | Lever-based irrigation |
| Canal Irrigation | Artificial water channels |
| Tank Irrigation | Reservoir-based irrigation |
| Inundation Canal | Flood-fed canal |