Life in the Vedic Period

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Varna System : During this period, there were four varnas or classes in the society, namely brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya and shudra. The varnas were based on people's occupations. As time passed, varnas came to be determined on the basis of birth. This gave rise to castes. The caste system led to inequality in the society. The family : Society in the Vedic period was patriarchal. The seniormost man in the family would be the head of the family. Women had a secondary status in the family. Girls were allowed to receive education. There are references to women of great learning like Gargi, Maitreyi, Lopamudra in ancient literature. In the later period, social restrictions on women became more stringent and their condition became worse. The ashrama system : The ashramas were a systematic arrangement of an individuals life from birth to death. An individual was expected to devote the first stage of his life to studies and learning. This period was called brahmacharyashrama. As a student, an individual had to lead aa simple life, be self-reliant and obey his teacher. When an individual got married, he entered grihasthashrama or the stage of family life. As a grihastha or householder, he had to look after his family and shoulder religious and social responsibilities. During vanaprasthashrama he handed over his responsibilities to his children and led a retired life. The fourth and last stage was sanyasashrama. The individual was expected to spend this period in meditation. Day-to-day life : Most of the people lived in houses of mud or wattle-and-daub. The walls and the floor were plastered with mud and cow-dung. In cities, the houses were wooden. Some houses were multi-storeyed. Peoples diet included milk, yoghurt, ghee, meat, fruits and cereals. Barley and rice were the staple food. People in the Vedic period used cotton and
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