Correct Option
The correct option is (a).
Explanation
During the medieval period, various tribal societies established distinct political and economic systems. The Gonds of Central India and the Ahoms of the Brahmaputra valley were two prominent tribal groups that evolved into complex states with specific agricultural practices.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Correct: The Gonds lived in a vast forested region known as Gondwana ("country inhabited by Gonds"). Their economy was primarily based on shifting cultivation (also known as slash-and-burn agriculture). In this method, trees and bushes in a forest area are cut and burnt, and crops are sown in the ashes. When the land loses its fertility, the plot is abandoned, and the cultivators move to a new plot.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Ahoms migrated to the Brahmaputra valley from present-day Myanmar in the 13th century. They created a new state by suppressing the older political system of the bhuiyans (landlords). Contrary to the statement, the Ahoms introduced new methods of rice cultivation (specifically wet rice cultivation), which required building dams and irrigation systems. This agricultural innovation was crucial for supporting their large state and population.
Key Takeaway: The Gonds are historically associated with shifting cultivation in Central India, whereas the Ahoms are credited with introducing advanced wet rice cultivation techniques in the Brahmaputra valley.