Tamil Nadu History NCERT Chap-3 Class 11

Chapter 3

The Vedic Culture

1500 BCE to 600 BCE = MEGALITHIC age = South + Central India)
Harrapan civilisation diclined à 1500 BCE  à Rise of Aryans(Indo Iranian) = Vedic period
Vedic  Period ===  1) Early Vedic period(1500 -1000 BCE)     2) Later Vedic Period(1000-600 BCE)

Vedic Literature :
          Rig Veda = Hymns in priase of God
           >>Boghajkoi inscription = proofs Rigveda connection with Central Asia(Turkey)= Aryan
               origin proof.
          Yajur Veda= Rituals at the time of Sacrifice
          Sam Veda= Various Chanting at the time of Sacrifice. à Later gave origin to Hindustani and                                              Karnetic Music
          Atharva Veda= Details of Rituals.
Other Sacred Text:
          Brahmana=  relating to prayer and sacrifices.
          Upnishad= Philosophy(essence of Hinduism) releated to soul, absolute, origin of world,mystries etc.
          Aryankas= Forest book à Misticism, rites, rituals , sacrifices.

Early Vedic Period (1500-1000 BCE):
Location : Rig Veda refers Saptasindhu(Chenab, Ravi, Jhelum, Beas, Satluj, Indus and Sharaswati)
Political Organisation:
          Village = kinship was basis (several family formed it)
          Ruler= Monarchial (usually monarchy associated with heredity)
          Administration= Sabha (council of elders) and samiti(all people) envolved.
Social Life:
          Patriarchy practiced à head of the house =  Grihapati
          Marriage = Monogamy but Royal and novel practiced Polugamy.
          Status of Women:
                              Took care of Household
                               Participated in major ceromany
                               Equal opportunity for Intelectual and spiritual development
                                  Brahmavadni = women poets like Lopmudra , Ghosa, Vishwavara. Apala. Many contributed to Rigveda.
                                Women could attend Popular Assembly
                                No Child marriage and Sati
                                Both Men and Women wore upper and Lower Garment(like Harrapa)
          Clothes = Wools and cotton //////////mainly they used wool(unlike cotton in Harrapa)
          Food= Cow slaughter prohibited(Unlike harrapa), Animal, Wheat, barley , rice,milk and its product.
          Fun = Dance, Music, horse racing, chariot racing
          Social Division = Not rigid

Economic Life:
          Pastoral à cattle rearing, later started agriculture also.
          Carpenter à  making chariot agri tool etc
          Metal worker  à  Gold smith , Iron came into play(not in harrapa which depended on Copper and bronze)
          Barter system like harrappa.

Religious life:
          Being pastoral in nature  à Agni , thunder ,  wind , rain and earth
          Female god : Aditi and Usha
          offering = ghee, mild and grain
          Elaborate rituals followed



Later Vedic Period (1000 – 600 BCE):
--Period of JANPADA
--Shusruta (Sergon)= lived in this period.
Location :
          Sathpatha Barahmana ===suggest expansion of Aryans to eastern gangetic plain.
          Later vedic period = Aryavarta(North India) , Madhya desha and Dakshinpatha (south India)

Political Origin:
          Janpada and Mahajanpada = evolved
          New officials other then existing(Purohita and senani) = tax collector, treasurer,royal messenger
          Sabha and Samiti(of early veda)= declined

Some Mahajanpadas = ruled by king
Some Ganas= ruled by number of man= Raja ex Vajji Sangha.
Vajji Sangha = Communist = Rajas controlled resournce like land ====collectively(Many rajas=Oligarchy)
Economic Life:
          Specialised work = Metal ,carpentary, lether(New), pottery
          Agriculture = Manure + Iron   increased efficience
          Trade = far land to Babylonia (Vaishya and Vaniya evolved)
           Coin = Nishaka(gold)

Social Life:
           4 Varna system  //////////// Caste system evolved with sub caste
           Women condition detoriated:
                                             -Child marriage
                                             -Lost political right to attend Public Assembly.
                                             -Many Brahminical text used Women = source of Misery
                                             -Roya and novel family women stil has previlages.

Religious Life:
          settled agricultural life unlike pastoral in early rigveda brought change in God.
          Agni , Indra, Water, Air, Earth etc lost significance to new God à Prajapati , Rudra,Vishnu.
          Importance of Prayer declined and sacrifice increased.
          Priesthood = Profession of Heredity
          Deviation To philosophy of Upnishad  and increased sacrifice ritual gave rise to new religion Buddhism and Jainism  in Later Period(not in vedic).

Attribute		Harrapa(IVC) (2300-1500BCE)		Vedic period(1500 - 600 BCE)
Source		Archeological		Literary(vedas,upnishad etc)
Literacy		Knew hot to write		no writing
Living std		Urban		Rural and pastoral
Peace		Primitive weapon= peace loving		sophisticated weapon
Horse		no fossils but simmilar  terracotta toy		horses used
Economy		Internal + external trade + craftmenship		pastoral + agricultural
Metals		Copper + Bronze		Copper + Bronze +Iron
Religion		Pashupati,mothergodess,snake,nature		air,water etc (earlier veda) Prajapati,Rudra,Vishnu(Later Veda)
Complexion		Short and black		Tall and fair
Clothes		Cotton and Wool		mainly wool(because of its origin in S.Russia)
Language		Undishiphered		Vedic sanskrit