Name: Exploring Social Divisions in Ancient India
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 6 min 14 s
Description: Understanding Social Differences: Caste and Beyond in Ancient India

Question

How important were gender differences in early societies? Give reasons for your answer.

Accepted Answer

i) Early Indian society was patriarchal in nature. Sons were regarded as important for family whereas daughters are viewed differently. They had no claim on household resources.

ii) For a daughter marriages was essential. So the concept of Kanyadan or giving daughter as a gift in marriage was widely accepted.

iii) Women did not have any right over property. In Manusmriti it was clearly said that the property would be distributed only among the sons and daughter would not have any right over the property

iv) However women received Stridhana during the time of marriage, which they could retain.

v) Women had an inferior position in society than men and often regarded as the property of father or husband. For example in Mahabharata, in the game of dice Yudhisthira stacked his wife Draupadi as his property.

vi) Through the examples of some upper class women like Vakataka queen Prabhabati Gupta, it can be concluded that upper class women could have access to resources but land, cattle and money were generally controlled by men.

How important were gender differences in early societies? Give reasons for your answer.

Important Questions on Kinship, Caste and Class Early Societies (C. 600 CBE-600 CE)

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