Social Life of Early Vedic Age

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The family, called Griha or Kula, was the pivot of the Rigvedic society. As the semi nomad Aryans settled in the North-West and the Punjab Valley they developed a healthy family life in which marriage was considered sacred and indissoluble.

Monogamy was the normal practice though instances of polygamy were not unknown. Polyandry, known in later days, does not appear to have come into vogue in Rigvedic times. Child marriage was unknown and the girls enjoyed considerable freedom in the choice of their consorts.

The re-marriage of widows was permitted and ordinarily a widow was required a marry her dead husband’s younger brother. Women occupied a distinctive place of honour in the social scale. They had practically unlimited authority in household affairs and freely took part in religious rituals including sacrifices.

The scope of female education was by no means restricted. Several women like Ghosha, Apala and Visuawara are known to have acquired such a high level of education as enabled them to compose mantras. There is no evidence of the women living in a state of seclusion.

The society was composed of a number of tribes among whom inter-tribal conflicts were a feature of frequent occurrence. As the Aryans appeared on the Indian soil in groups, their number was not considerable.

They found it expedient to absorb elements of races and peoples living in the country from earlier times, as well as other kindred tribes, in their fold so that a good deal of intermingling of races took place. This fluid state of society was a source of strength and weakness alike.

While ultimately it added to the vigour of the Aryan communities, its immediate effect was to promote conflict between the old and the new elements. Traditions of such conflict are reflected in the feud between Vashishtha and Visvamitra.

The society was patriarchal. The pater familias (Kulapa or Grihapati) stood at the head. His authority over his family as a whole was unquestioned. The story told in an early Vedic text of the father blinding his offending son illustrates the extent to which paternal authority was unfettered and absolute.

The costume worn in early Vedic items consisted of three parts-nivi or undergarment, paridhana or vasa (garment) and adhivasa (mantle). Besides cotton, wool and deer skin served as materials for clothing.

In several cases the garments were embroidered with gold. Ornaments made of gold and precious jewels were in great demand and were worn by both men and women.

Food habits of the Rigvedic Aryans were simple-vegetable, fruits, meat and butter being the usual items of food. Fatted calf was often killed and served as food, though milk-giving cows were regarded as Aghnya (not to be slaughtered).

Milk was a favourite drink and its use in the form of butter and curds is frequently mentioned. Stronger drinks, known as soma and sura were popular. The former was used as a sacrificial drink; the latter, distilled from grain, though disapproved by the priestly poets, was a potent liquor.

It would be wrong to suppose that the Rigvedic Aryan was a stranger to fine arts. Life for him, in those days, had its joys and entertainments. Musical instruments like flute, lute and harp were in use. Songs were recited in rhythm to accompaniment of these instruments, besides cymbals and drums.

Dancing too was encouraged and some passages in the Rigveda indicate the presence of a professional class of dancing girls. Among games and pastimes chariot race and dicing were popular. Gambling too prevailed. A poem in the Rigveda, called “Gamester’s Lamet” describes the gambling propensities of the age.

Dress

Males and females wore practically the same dress. The upper garment was called adhivasa and the lower garment was called vasa. An embroidered garment called pesas seems to have been used by female dancers.

A special garment was worn by the bride at a marriage ceremony. Both cotton and woollen garments were used and were of different colours. Sometimes, garments were made of animals skin also.

Several kinds of ornaments, both of gold and precious stones, were worn by members of both the sexes. Ear-ring, finger-ring, armlet, necklace etc. were normally worn by men as well as women. The Kurira was a head-ornament worn specially by brides. Nishka, Rukma and Mani were other popular ornaments.

Both men and women oiled and combed their hair, which was plaited or braided. The men grew beards and moustaches, but sometimes also shaved them.

The Aryans till now had built cities. They lived in villages. The houses were built of clay and bambood. Roads were built as carts and chariots were the popular means of transport and communication though riding on horseback was also in vogue.

Amusements

The chariot race, hunting, gambling and dicing, dancing and music were the main sources of entertainment of the Aryans. Music, both vocal and instrumental was well known. The drum, the lute and the flute was known to them. Both men and women enjoyed themselves in festive assemblies with music and dance.

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