History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c32.s2.2

v1.c32.s2.2

There were specialists in the construction and execution of irrigation works. The *Yajurveda* pays tributes with reference this: "Homage to him expert in constructing wells and water falls. Homage to him who knows how to construct canals and tanks (*Kulyāyaśca sarasyāyaśca*)" (*YV*. XVI. 37). The persons who possessed the knowledge of the science of water was known as *āpo adhyānvacāris* (*YV*. XX.22) in the Vedic period. Engineers specialised in the construction of irrigation works were called *Jala Sūtrada* (Hydraulic Engineers). We find references to them in the inscriptions mostly from South India. Similarly, there were water-diviners (*Kūpadarśakas*) in the south (*SII*, XII p.2) who were professional water-diviners eking out a living by private practice. It is believed that they might have been working as inspectors of wells in those days. The duties of the engineers were purely technical. They were perhaps employed in the department of waterworks (*vāri-gṛha-karaṇa*)². It was a separate body under which many subordinate department functioned. The hydraulic engineers did not confine their attention to the building of dams, tanks, canals etc. but the maintenance and repairs of irrigation works were also attended to. So there seemed to remain a sharp distinction between the hydraulic engineers and water-diviners. In the earliest traditions of Kashmir recorded by Kalhana in his *Rājatarangiṇī* (Stein, p. 200), the construction of irrigation canals and other waterworks by the genius of engineer-minister under Avantivarman increased the prosperity of the valley. He regulated the river Vitasta by systematic arrangements for the construction of irrigation channels. For these the water of various hill streams was utilised as well as that of the main river. "After examining the different classes of land he procured a supply of water for the villages, which thus were no (longer) dependent only on the rainfall. After watering all village (lands), he took from (each) village (some) soil, ascertained by (observing) the time it took to dry up, the period within which irrigation would be required (for each soil, respectively). "He (then) arranged (accordingly) on a permanent basis for the size and distribution of the water course for each village and by (using for irrigation) the Anulā and other streams, embellished all regions with an abundance of irrigated fields which were distinguished for excellent produce". In the south under the supervison of the Hoysala Ballala Kings the hydraulic engineers brought the waters of the Yagaci river which flowed through a valley ten miles away and divided by a range of hills from the Halebid valley by af channel to supply the capital with water and fill the neighbouring tanks (IA, 1, p.44). These two recorded instances show the role of the hydraulic engineers in the execution of irrigation was considered important in the past.