(a) Describe the significance of Kamalpuram tank and Hiriya Canal as sources of water for the Vijayanagara. OR (b) Describe the views of Dominingo Paes on the city of Vijaynagara.
(a) Describe the significance of Kamalpuram tank and Hiriya Canal as sources of water for the Vijayanagara. OR (b) Describe the views of Dominingo Paes on the city of Vijaynagara.
Vijayanagara lay in one of the most arid zones of the peninsula, so elaborate arrangements were needed to store and channel water; the Kamalapuram tank and the Hiriya canal were two of the most important of these works.
Kamalapuram tank
- Built to store water drawn from the region's streams and the Tungabhadra system.
- Its water was used to irrigate the fields in the vicinity.
- Through a channel it was also conducted to the "royal centre", supplying the palace complex.
Hiriya canal
- One of the most prominent and prestigious waterworks of the city.
- It drew water from a dam built across the Tungabhadra river.
- It irrigated the cultivated valley that separated the "sacred centre" from the "urban core".
- It is believed to have been built by kings of the Sangama dynasty.
OR (b) Domingo Paes: The Portuguese traveller Domingo Paes (c. 1520, reign of Krishnadeva Raya) described Vijayanagara as "as large as Rome and very beautiful to the sight", the best-provided city in the world, full of groves, orchards, water channels and a huge, prosperous population.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: stating that Vijayanagara lay in an arid zone and depended on the Tungabhadra plus tanks and canals for water.
- 21 mark: significance of Kamalapuram tank — stored water, irrigated nearby fields and supplied the royal centre through a channel.
- 31 mark: significance of Hiriya canal — drew water from a dam on the Tungabhadra and irrigated the valley separating the sacred centre from the urban core (built by Sangama dynasty). For option (b): any three points of Domingo Paes's description earn full marks.
Hint
Link each work to its function — Kamalapuram tank fed the royal centre; the Hiriya canal, drawing from a dam on the Tungabhadra, watered the valley between the sacred and urban cores.
Quick Oral Answer
Since Vijayanagara stood in a dry zone, the Kamalapuram tank stored water and fed the royal centre through a channel, while the Hiriya canal drew water from a dam on the Tungabhadra to irrigate the valley between the sacred centre and the urban core.
Analysis & Explanation
This question tests knowledge of how a great medieval capital solved the practical problem of water in a dry landscape, a favourite NCERT theme because it links geography, engineering and kingship.
Concept
- Vijayanagara stood in the arid Tungabhadra basin, so its rulers invested heavily in tanks, canals and reservoirs.
- The Tungabhadra river, flowing north-east, was the primary source; tanks and canals extended its reach.
Exam trap
- Students often confuse the two works: the Kamalapuram tank stored and supplied water to the royal centre, while the Hiriya canal carried water from a dam to irrigate the valley between the sacred and urban cores. Keep the two functions distinct.
Real-world link
- These works show that control over water was also a symbol of royal power; providing water was a duty of kingship, much as modern states invest in dams and irrigation to legitimise governance.
Common Mistakes
- 1Swapping the functions of the two works — attributing irrigation of the valley to the tank or the supply of the royal centre to the canal.
- 2Forgetting to mention the arid setting and the Tungabhadra, which is the reason such elaborate waterworks were needed in the first place.
- 3Writing a single vague line for a 3-mark answer instead of giving a distinct, developed point for the tank, the canal and the overall context.
Interesting Facts
The Hiriya canal is still traceable at the Hampi site today and parts of the medieval hydraulic network continued to carry water into modern times.
Vijayanagara at its height (early 16th century) may have had a population of around 500,000, making water management a matter of survival for the capital.
Krishnadeva Raya, in whose reign the city peaked, is himself credited with building a large tank described by the visiting Portuguese, underscoring how kings tied their prestige to water works.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Vijayanagara need such elaborate waterworks?
The city lay in one of the driest zones of the peninsula. Rainfall was uncertain and the surrounding terrain rocky, so rulers had to store and channel water from the Tungabhadra river through tanks, reservoirs and canals to sustain a huge population and irrigate farmland within the fortified zone.
Which parts of the city did the Kamalapuram tank and Hiriya canal serve?
The Kamalapuram tank irrigated nearby fields and supplied the royal centre through a channel, while the Hiriya canal, fed by a dam on the Tungabhadra, watered the cultivated valley that separated the sacred centre from the urban core.