At which of the following places was diamond mining carried out during the Delhi Sultanate period? (a) Awadh (b) Khambhat (c) Panna (d) Lakhnau

During the Delhi Sultanate and the broader medieval period, diamond mining was a significant economic activity in specific regions of India. The Panna district in Madhya Pradesh, located within the Vindhyan formations of Bundelkhand, has historically been the primary diamond-producing region in India [2]. While the Delhi Sultanate revived internal trade and stimulated the demand for luxury goods like precious stones [3], Panna remained the most prominent site for diamond extraction in North India. Other major mining areas were located in the Deccan and South India, specifically in the Kurnool and Anantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh [2]. Khambhat (Cambay) was a renowned center for trade, cutting, and polishing rather than a primary mining site [1]. Panna's diamond mines provided the wealth and resources that sustained the opulence of medieval courts and contributed to the flourishing mining and metallurgy industries of the era [4].

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 7: Resources > Natural Resources of India > p. 29
2. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 2: Physiography > 4. The Vindhyan System > p. 51
3. [3] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Advent of Arabs and Turks > Trade and Urbanization > p. 150
4. [4] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 7: The Guptas > Industry: Mining and Metallurgy > p. 95