Kinship, Caste and class Test - 1

Endogamy refers to the practice of marrying within a specific unit, such as a kin group, caste, or a group of people living in the same locality.

The original story of the Bharata war was probably composed by charioteer-bards known as sutas, who generally accompanied the king's entourage to the battlefield, and composed poems eulogising their feats in war.

Mahasweta Devi's short story “Kunti and the nishadin” revolves around an imagined conversation between the Empress and a woman from the hunter-gatherer nomadic tribe, a woman of no significance to the rulers of the land.

Kula is a Sanskrit word that can be translated as “community,” “clan” or “tribe.” In Hinduism, the term kula is used in Dharmashastra (religious law) to refer either to part of a village or a member of a family.

The term "Mlechchhas" was used in ancient Indian society to refer to people who were considered outside the Vedic fold or those who did not adhere to Vedic rituals and customs. The Shakas, who came from Central Asia and invaded parts of northwestern India during the early centuries CE, were regarded by the Brahmanas (the priestly class) as Mlechchhas because they were not followers of Vedic traditions.

The Brahmanas considered certain social categories as being outside the Varna system, and they classified these individuals as "Untouchables." These were marginalized groups in ancient Indian society who were often engaged in occupations considered impure or polluting, such as handling dead bodies or leatherwork. Untouchables faced severe social discrimination and were excluded from many aspects of mainstream society. The classification of certain groups as Untouchables reflects the hierarchical nature of the Varna system and the social stratification prevalent in ancient Indian society.

Wealth acquisition after her husband's death was not considered a means for women according to Manusmriti. In traditional Hindu society, widows were often dependent on their families or faced societal restrictions, and acquiring wealth independently after their husband's death was not part of the prescribed norms. Therefore, option (D) is incorrect in the context of the six means of acquiring wealth for women in Manusmriti.

Kurus was a Vedic Aryan tribal union in northern Iron Age India, encompassing modern-day Delhi, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Western Uttar Pradesh, which appeared in the Middle Vedic period (c. 1200-с. 850 BCE) and developed into the first recorded state-level society in South Asia around 1000 BCE. It was the dominant political and cultural center of the middle Vedic Period, but declined in importance during Late Vedic period (c.850-500 BCE), and by the Mahajanapada period in the 5th century BCE.

Endogamy refers to marriage within a unit (like kin, group, caste). It is also called in-marriage. These type of marriages takes place within a particular social group such as caste, clan, tribe, gotra, etc.

Brahmanas emphasized that the varna system is divine: Brahmanas, as the priestly class, played a significant role in shaping religious beliefs and practices. 

Brahmanas convinced people that their occupation and status are determined by birth: Brahmanas propagated the idea of birth-based varna system, known as Varna Vyavastha, which suggested that individuals' social status and occupations were determined by their birth into a particular varna. This belief system helped maintain the social hierarchy.

Brahmanas advised the kings to ensure that people follow the norms of the varna system within the kingdom: Brahmanas wielded considerable influence over the ruling elite, including kings and administrators. 

Therefore, all of these strategies were evolved by Brahmanas to enforce the norms of the Varna order from c. 600 BCE to 600 CE, contributing to the perpetuation of the social hierarchy based on birth and occupation.