History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c32.s2.t8.7

v1.c32.s2.t8.7

The lithic records from the north refer to two distinct types of wells - kūpa and vapi; the former is an ordinary well, while the latter appears to have been equipped with flights of steps and used for a tank of the smallest size. The South Indian records mention specific names to denote the wells the purpose for which they were put into utility - pānīya-kūpa (drinking water well), uruṇi-kulam (public water tanks), tirumañjana kulam (sacred tanks for use by the temples), puravai and kiṇaru (ordinary well), puṭṭai-k-kiṇaru (wells fitted with water-lifts) turavu (large wells for irrigation) and so on (EI. VIII. p. 145; SII, II. Nos. 4, 5, and 445; IPS. No. 156; SII. III. No 4; III. p. 102). The paṭṭiṉappālai (Chelliah, 1947, p. 48), one of the Tamil anthologies, records that in the outskirts of the city of Kāveripūmpaṭṭiṇam the inside of wells (urai-kiṇaru) were covered with baked clay instead of being built with stones. It is interesting to note from the Kannada inscriptions that the charity wells set apart for thirsty way-farers and cattle were specifically names as arabāvi (SII. XVII. No. 58. p. 68).