Mahajanapada Society Notes | UPSC, UPPSC, BPSC & Competitive Exams

Society:

Vedic orthodoxy was the established practice.

• Extended kin groups were referred as Nati and Nati- kulani.

• Kula denoted extended the patrilineal family, while Natakas included relatives on both mother and father’s side.

• The strengthening of patriarchal control within the household led to the increased subordination of women.

• Priests enjoyed important positions in Mahajanpadas unlike in Gana-sangha.

• The Varna system was in place, with society being stratified based on Varna, becoming a key marker of status.

• Cultivators and artisans were classified as Shudras.

• The category of untouchables emerged during this period, placed even lower than the Shudras.

• Untouchables were forced to live on the outskirts of settlements, relying on hunting and gathering for survival.

• As urbanization grew, they were marginalized and relegated to menial tasks. They spoke a language distinct from that of the Indo-Aryans.

Society