Kinship, Caste and Class

NCERT Themes in Indian History for Class 12, Part I, Theme 3 examines family, caste and hierarchy in early India from 600 BCE to 600 CE. It analyses the Mahabharata as a window into patriliny, gotra rules, marriage norms and property. It explains varna ideals, jati proliferation, gendered access to ritual and the lives of untouchables. It contrasts Brahmanical texts with Buddhist critiques. It shows how historians use Sanskrit, Pali and archaeological sources to reconstruct social practice beyond prescription.

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