According to the Ain, the Mughal provinces of Agra and Delhi produced how many varieties of crops?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → 39 and 43
Mughal agriculture was organised around two seasons, the kharif (autumn) and the rabi (spring), and most regions produced at least two crops a year. This gave an enormous variety of produce. The Ain tells us that the Mughal province of Agra produced 39 varieties of crops and Delhi produced 43 over the two seasons. Bengal produced 50 varieties of rice alone.
Numbers like 39, 43 and 50 look like small print, but NTA reads the small print too.
NCERT (2025-26): “1.4 An abundance of crops … Agriculture was organised around two major seasonal cycles, the kharif (autumn) and the rabi (spring). This would mean that most regions, except those terrains that were the most arid or inhospitable, produced a minimum of two crops a year (do-fasla), whereas some, where rainfall or irrigation assured a continuous supply of water, even gave three crops. This ensured an enormous variety of produce. For instance, we are told in the Ain that the Mughal provinces of Agra produced 39 varieties of crops and Delhi produced 43 over the two seasons. Bengal produced 50 varieties of rice alone.…” |