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cultivated crops and reared cattle. So their food
comprised of grains (wheat, barley, rice, honey,
fruits and vegetables) and milk products. Two types
of wine were prevalent—Soma and Sura . The
former was socially accepted and was even offered
to gods. However, the latter was condemned as
evil.
Recreation : The Aryans were fond of both indoor
as well as outdoor activities for recreation. They
liked dance, music and chaupar (dice) as indoor
activities; while chariot-racing, hunting and
Brahmin Kshatriya wrestling were popular outdoor activities. They also
liked to compete in a variety of weapons, like
swords, lances, bows, maces etc.
Chaupar Chariot-racing
Vaishya Shudra
resulting in the caste system, in which the son of a
Brahmin became a Brahmin and the son of a
Vaishya became a Vaishya. Sword-fighting
Religious Life
Housing : The Aryans in the Early Vedic Age were Religion formed the predominant part of the Aryan
rural and nomadic in nature. They mostly built life. They worshipped many gods and goddesses.
kuchcha houses of mud, lime and bamboo. There were no temples in the Early Vedic Age; their
However, during the Later Vedic Age, they settled chief form of worship was by conducting yajnas
down at one place which gradually resulted in large (religious sacrifices) which they performed in the
towns and cities, such as Kashi, Videha, Kausambi, open. The popular gods worshipped by them
Ayodhya, Hastinapur, Indraprastha etc. Now their
houses were made of baked bricks using mud and included Indra the rain god, Agni the fire god,
lime. The roofs were supported on wooden beams Surya the sun god and Chandrama the moon god.
and the doors and window were made of wood. The Brahmins led the yajnas. They believed in the
existence of the Supreme God above all gods and
Dress and Ornaments : The Aryans wore simple goddesses, the attainment of Whom was the
dress comprising of an undergarment (called dhoti ultimate goal of life.
or nivi), an upper-garment (called vasa) and a However, with the passage of time, the yajnas
cloak (called adhivasa). The men wore turbans became an expensive affair and all people could
while women covered their heads with a long cloth. not get them performed. So, people sought other
Both men and women wore ornaments made of ways of self-realization as they believed in life
gold and silver. The ornaments made from flowers after death. The three more ways of attaining self-
too were in vogue.
realization were the Jnana marg or the path of
Food : The Aryans were pastoral people who knowledge, the Bhakti marg or the path of good
Contemporary Social Science-6
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