Correct Option
The correct option isPersian wheel
Explanation
The medieval period in India witnessed the introduction of several mechanical technologies brought by the Turks and later refined under the Mughals. In the agricultural sector, specific innovations in water-lifting devices played a crucial role in the expansion of cultivation.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Spinning wheel Spinning wheel: Incorrect. The spinning wheel (Charkha) was indeed introduced during the medieval period (around the 13th–14th century) and revolutionized the textile industry by speeding up yarn production. However, it is a tool for textile manufacturing, not irrigation.
- Persian wheel Persian wheel: Correct. The Persian wheel, known as Rahat or Saqiya, was a significant mechanical innovation introduced during the Sultanate period. Unlike earlier water-lifting devices, it utilized a gear mechanism and a chain of pots (buckets) to lift water from deeper wells for irrigation. It is famously described by Babur in the Baburnama as a prevalent method in North India.
- Canal system Canal system: Incorrect. While the medieval period saw extensive canal building (notably by Firoz Shah Tughlaq and later Shah Jahan), the concept of canal irrigation was not a new introduction; it existed in ancient India (e.g., during the Mauryan period). The Persian wheel represents a specific mechanical innovation.
- Drip irrigation Drip irrigation: Incorrect. Drip irrigation is a modern agricultural technology developed in the 20th century to conserve water. It was not available in the medieval period.
Key Takeaway
The Persian wheel (Rahat) was the primary mechanical technological innovation in irrigation during the medieval period, distinguished by its use of a gear system to lift water efficiently from deep wells.