Ancient History : The Rise Of Guptas Empire

Q 7 / 20

UPSC CSE Prelims 2020

With reference to the history of India, the terms ‘kulyavapa’ and ‘dronavapa’ denote:

EXPLANATION

Correct Option

The terms 'kulyavapa' and 'dronavapa' denote units of land measurement used in ancient India, particularly during the Gupta and post-Gupta periods. These units were based on the quantity of seeds required to sow a specific area of land.

  • Kulyavapa: Refers to the area of land that could be sown with one kulya of seeds.
  • Dronavapa: Refers to the area of land that could be sown with one drona of seeds.

This system reflects an established administrative practice for assessing agricultural land.

Incorrect Options

  • Coins of different monetary value: 'Kulyavapa' and 'dronavapa' are not associated with currency or monetary denominations.
  • Classification of urban land: These terms specifically relate to the measurement of agricultural land, not the categorization of urban areas.
  • Religious rituals: The terms do not carry any religious or ritualistic significance.
SOURCEIndia's Ancient Past by R.S. Sharma, Chapter 15: The Gupta Empire