A traveller in the early seventeenth century sets out from a fertile plain, where families plough, sow and reap through the seasons. After some days he climbs into rocky hill country, and then passes wide stretches where farming is thin. Later he crosses thick forest where herders and gatherers live by other means. In his diary he wonders how anyone could describe the countryside of the empire using only what he saw on that first plain. A historian reading the diary today wants to set it beside the written sources of the time.
Which statement about forest areas in this period is correct?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Forest areas made up a substantial proportion of territory
Option (1) Forest areas made up a substantial proportion of territory — Correct. Forest areas made up a substantial proportion of territory, so a historian must keep this varied land in mind.
Option (2) Forest areas made up a small part, mostly in the hills — Incorrect. Forests covered a large share of the land. Calling them small reverses the point.
Option (3) Forest areas had largely been cleared for cultivation — Incorrect. Much forest was still standing in this period.
Option (4) Forest areas were found mainly on the Deccan plateau — Incorrect. Forests were spread across many regions of the land.
NCERT (2026-27): “1. Peasants and Agricultural Production … |