| Category | Term / Site / System | Region / Period | Meaning / Feature + UPSC Importance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Harappan | Mehrgarh | Baluchistan | Dams across seasonal streams for overflow irrigation; early agricultural irrigation evidence |
| Harappan Civilization | Dholavira | Gujarat | 16 reservoirs/cisterns; dams on Manhar & Mandsar streams; best Harappan water management example |
| Mohenjodaro | Sindh | Large number of wells; urban water supply | |
| Harappa | Punjab region | Central depression possibly used as tank/reservoir; water storage evidence | |
| Lothal | Gujarat | Dockyard with sluice gates and spill channels; hydraulic and maritime engineering | |
| Shortughai | Afghanistan | Irrigation canals; canal irrigation evidence | |
| Allahdino | Sindh | Well and drains possibly linked with irrigation; inconclusive irrigation evidence | |
| Ghaggar-Hakra Region | Haryana region | Small-scale canal network remains; possible Harappan canal system | |
| Vedic & Early Historic Terms | Setu | Vedic/Early Historic | Dam/bund/embankment; important irrigation term |
| Kulya | Vedic/Early Historic | Irrigation canal; important irrigation term | |
| Tadaga | Vedic/Early Historic | Tank/reservoir; important irrigation term | |
| Pushkarini | Vedic/Early Historic | Sacred tank; art & culture + water management | |
| Vapi / Baoli | Ancient India | Stepwell; water storage and architecture | |
| Arghatta | Ancient India | Water wheel device; irrigation technology | |
| Ghati Yantra | Ancient India | Water lifting device; irrigation technology | |
| Battle of Ten Kings | Rig Veda | Sudas broke natural dam on Parushni/Ravi; early river-control reference | |
| Mauryan & Post-Mauryan | Sudarshana Lake | Junagadh, Gujarat | Initiated by Pushyagupta under Chandragupta Maurya; state-sponsored reservoir |
| Tushaspha | Ashokan period | Completed Sudarshana Lake; hydraulic continuity | |
| Rudradaman Inscription | 150 CE | Records repair of Sudarshana Lake after storm damage; early Sanskrit inscription + irrigation repair | |
| Skandagupta Inscription | Gupta period | Records later repair of Sudarshana Lake; long-term reservoir maintenance | |
| Buddhist Water Management | Sanchi | Madhya Pradesh | Mud dams, stone facings, rainwater reservoirs; monastic water harvesting |
| Rock-cut reservoirs | Eastern India | Stepped reservoirs carved in rock; rainwater collection for monasteries | |
| Early Historic South India | Kaverippumpattinam / Puhar | Chola region | Port city linked with Kaveri water system; Sangam-age urban and irrigation evidence |
| Vanagiri | Tamil region | Artificial channel diverted Kaveri water; irrigation reservoir linkage | |
| Kilayur | Tamil region | Brick landing platforms for boats; port and water-management evidence | |
| Karikalan Chola | Chola period | Embankment of Kaveri and reservoir construction; agricultural expansion | |
| Chola Irrigation System | Kallanai / Grand Anicut | Tamil Nadu | Dam/barrage across Kaveri built by Karikala Chola; very important UPSC fact |
| Eri | Tamil region | Tank irrigation system; South Indian irrigation model | |
| Anaicut | Tamil region | Dam/barrage across river; irrigation infrastructure | |
| Nattar | Tamil region | Local assembly supervising irrigation; local self-government | |
| Ur | Tamil region | Village assembly; rural administration | |
| Sabha | Brahmadeya village assembly managing tanks | Local water management; Chola administration | |
| Kudimaramath | Tamil region | Community-based tank maintenance; community participation | |
| Early Medieval North India | Anang Tal | Delhi | Tank constructed by Anangapala II; Tomara waterworks |
| Suraj Kund | Delhi | Reservoir associated with Surajpala; early Delhi hydraulic system | |
| Anangpur Dam | Delhi region | Stone masonry dam; early medieval engineering | |
| Early Medieval Rajasthan | Vapi | Rajasthan | Stepwell; water storage |
| Tadaga | Rajasthan | Tank/reservoir; irrigation expansion | |
| Tatakini | Rajasthan | Small tank/reservoir; inscriptional water term | |
| Pushkarini | Rajasthan | Sacred reservoir; religious water structure | |
| Araghatta | Rajasthan | Water wheel; irrigation device | |
| Delhi Sultanate | Hauz | Delhi Sultanate | Water tank/reservoir; urban water supply |
| Hauz Khas | Delhi | Reservoir built by Alauddin Khalji; Sultanate water management | |
| Shaduf | Medieval India | Manual water lifting device; irrigation technology | |
| Persian Wheel | Medieval India | Mechanical irrigation device; agricultural irrigation | |
| Mughal Agrarian & Irrigation Terms | Rahat | Mughal period | Persian wheel; water lifting device |
| Chaharbagh | Mughal period | Garden irrigation layout; Mughal garden planning | |
| Ain-i-Akbari | Akbar’s period | Agrarian and irrigation details; revenue + irrigation record | |
| Polaj | Mughal agrarian system | Regularly cultivated land; land classification | |
| Parauti | Mughal agrarian system | Temporarily fallow land; land classification | |
| Chachar | Mughal agrarian system | Land left uncultivated for 3–4 years; land classification | |
| Banjar | Mughal agrarian system | Waste uncultivated land; land classification | |
| Vijayanagara Irrigation | Deva Raya I | Vijayanagara | Dam across Tungabhadra and canals to capital; revenue and irrigation growth |
| Haridra River Dam | Vijayanagara | Dam built for irrigation; agrarian expansion | |
| Tank Irrigation | South India | Major irrigation model; UPSC favourite area | |
| Rayasagara | Vijayanagara | Large tanks/reservoirs; irrigation terminology | |
| Kere | Karnataka | Tank/lake; traditional water system | |
| Nayankara System | Vijayanagara | Military-feudal system linked with agrarian revenue; polity + agrarian linkage | |
| Amaram | Vijayanagara | Land assignment to Nayakas; revenue administration | |
| Kashmir Under Zain-ul-Abidin | Zain-ul-Abidin | Kashmir | Promoted dams, canals and bridges; irrigation and agriculture |
| Zaina Lanka | Wular Lake | Artificial island with palace and mosque; important factual point | |
| Mewar Under Rana Kumbha | Rana Kumbha | Rajasthan | Dug lakes and reservoirs; irrigation + architecture |
| Traditional Water Harvesting Systems | Johad | Rajasthan | Rainwater harvesting structure; frequently asked |
| Kund | Rajasthan | Underground water storage tank; arid-region adaptation | |
| Khadin | Rajasthan | Runoff farming system; desert agriculture | |
| Ahar-Pyne | Bihar | Floodwater harvesting and channel system; very important for BPSC/UPSC | |
| Bandhara | Maharashtra | Check dam/diversion structure; traditional irrigation | |
| Kere | Karnataka | Tank/lake; South Indian tank system | |
| Eri | Tamil Nadu | Tank irrigation system; Chola and Tamil irrigation | |
| Kuhl | Himachal Pradesh | Gravity-based irrigation channel; Himalayan irrigation | |
| Bamboo Drip Irrigation | Meghalaya | Bamboo-based water channel system; tribal irrigation technique | |
| Vav | Gujarat | Stepwell; architecture + water storage | |
| Zing | Ladakh | Small water storage tank; cold desert water system | |
| Irrigation Devices & Techniques | Canal Irrigation | General | Artificial water channels; irrigation method |
| Tank Irrigation | General | Reservoir-based irrigation; South India focus | |
| Inundation Canal | General | Flood-fed canal; riverine irrigation | |
| Dhenkli | General | Lever-based irrigation device; traditional water lifting | |
| Persian Wheel | General | Water lifting wheel; medieval irrigation | |
| Shaduf | General | Counterpoise water lift; manual irrigation device |
Tags: UPSC, BPSC, UPPSC, MPPSC, Ancient Indian History, Medieval Indian History, Irrigation Systems, Water Management, Reservoirs, Traditional Water Harvesting, Agriculture History, UPSC Notes