Hindu Administrative Institutions c12.s5.16

c12.s5.16

There are four methods of irrigation: by hand (हस्तप्रावर्तिमम्), by water taken on shoulders (स्कन्धप्रावर्तिमम्), by mechanical contrivances (स्रोतोयन्त्रप्रावर्तिमम्), and lastly from tanks and rivers (नदीसरस्तटाककूपोद्घाटम्). Bridges, water-courses, and embankments are mentioned by the one word *setu*.³ It was also the duty of the state to look after these sources of irrigation that they never ran into waste, but were always kept in order. Even wind was used for driving power. Windmills are not gone yet out of use.⁴ Megasthenes writes, ‘the greater part of the soil is under irrigation and consequently bears two crops in the course of a year. . . .' ' Some superintend the rivers, measure the land as is done in Egypt, and inspect the sluices by which water is let out from the main canals into other branches so that every one may have an equal supply of it.'¹