This is a part of the Tamil section of a land grant givenby the Cholas:We have demarcated the boundaries of the land by makingearthen embankments, as well as by planting thorny bushes.This is what the land contains: fruit-bearing trees, water,land, gardens and orchards, trees, wells, open spaces,pasture-land, a village, anthills, platforms, canals, ditches,rivers, silt-laden land, tanks, granaries, fish ponds, bee hives,and deep lakes.He who receives the land can collect taxes from it. He cancollect the taxes imposed by judicial officers as fines, the taxon betel-leaves, that on woven cloth, as well as on vehicles.He can build large rooms, with upper stories made of bakedbricks, he can get large and small wells dug, he can plant treesand thorny bushes, if necessary, he can get canals constructedfor irrigation. He should ensure that water is not wasted, andthat embankments are built.List all the possible sources of irrigation mentionedin the inscription, and discuss how these mighthave been used.

The possible sources of irrigation mentioned in the inscription are:

1. Wells: Wells were probably dug deep into the ground to access groundwater. This water could then be drawn up, usually by a bucket or a similar device, and used to irrigate nearby fields.

2. Canals: Canals were likely constructed to divert water from rivers or other large bodies of water to the fields. This would have been particularly useful in areas where the land was not naturally irrigated by a water source.

3. Rivers: Rivers would have provided a natural source of irrigation. Farmers could have used the river water to irrigate their fields either by diverting it through canals or by planting their crops near the riverbank.

4. Tanks: Tanks are usually artificial reservoirs that store water. They could have been filled with rainwater or water brought in from other sources. This stored water could then be used for irrigation.

5. Rainwater: The mention of embankments suggests that rainwater could have been another source of irrigation. Embankments can be used to prevent rainwater from running off too quickly, allowing it to seep into the ground and irrigate the land.

These sources of irrigation would have been crucial for agriculture, especially in a region like the one ruled by the Cholas where water might not have been readily available. They would have allowed farmers to grow crops even in dry seasons, increasing the productivity of the land and supporting the population.