UPSC Prelims 2020 Q29: Ancient History – Society, Law & Administration
With reference to the history of India, the terms ‘Kulyavapa’ and ‘Dronavapa’ denote
- (a) measurement of land
- (b) coins of different monetary values
- (c) classification of urban land
- (d) religious rituals
Answer: (a) measurement of land
Explanation
Kulyavapa and Dronavapa
Both terms come from Gupta-period land grant inscriptions, mostly from Bengal.
They are units for measuring land.
The word 'vapa' means sowing; land was measured by the amount of seed needed to sow it.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kulyavapa | Area that needs one kulya of seed |
| Dronavapa | Area that needs one drona of seed; one-eighth of a kulyavapa |
| Adhavapa | Area that needs one adhaka of seed; a quarter of a dronavapa |
The options checked:
| Option | Verdict | Terms that do fit it |
|---|---|---|
| (a) measurement of land | Correct | Kulyavapa, dronavapa, nivartana, pataka |
| (b) coins of different monetary values | Incorrect | Dinara (gold), rupaka (silver), pana |
| (c) classification of urban land | Incorrect | The terms are about farm land in grants |
| (d) religious rituals | Incorrect | They are found in sale and grant deeds of land |
Answer: (a) measurement of land.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) CORRECT. Kulyavapa and Dronavapa are units for the measurement of land.
- (b) Incorrect. Gupta coins were the dinara and the rupaka, not these terms.
- (c) Incorrect. They measured agricultural land, not classes of urban land.
- (d) Incorrect. They are land measures in grants, not names of religious rituals.
Key point
Gupta land measures (Bengal inscriptions): kulyavapa = 8 dronavapas; based on seed sown ('vapa'). Others: nivartana, pataka. Coins: dinara, rupaka.
Remember
Kulyavapa and Dronavapa = Gupta land measures.
Common mistakes
- Guessing coins because the words sound like 'drona' weights and measures.
- Linking the terms to the Mauryan period; they belong to Gupta inscriptions.
- Not using the clue 'vapa', which means sowing of seed.
Exam tip
Break the word. 'Vapa' is sowing, so the term must be about farm land.
Sources
- R.S. Sharma — India's Ancient Past, Ch on Life in the Gupta Age
- Upinder Singh — A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, Ch 9 (Aesthetics and Empire: land grants of Bengal)