Discuss the main features of the culture of the later vedic period.In what ways it different from rig vedic culture
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Answer:
First of all why has the vedic period divided into two- Rig vedic and later vedic?
Let me answer these first and then i ll come to your question.
The most important text of hindu is the vedas and it is broadly divided into 4 - Rig veda, sama veda, yajur veda and atharva veda. The rig veda is the oldest text and is said to be composed between the period 1500–1000 bc according to the historian. It is the most important text and the rest of the three vedas are mostly based on it.The other three vedas i.e sama veda, yajur veda and atharva veda were composed between 1000–500 bc and known as later vedas.
These vedas are the most important source for the historian to study the social, economic, political and most importantly the relgious life of the north indian people during the period between 1500–500 bc. From this period the actual history of india started.
The historian has divided the vedic period between Rig vedic and the later vedic because of the great differences and transformation of society from rig vedic to later vedic. Broadly we can say that the rig vedic society was an egalitarian in nature which became very complex later on.
The caste system was very flexible and it was based on ones profession rather than birth during the rig vedic period but however it gradually became complex and caste system was associated with birth in subsequent period.
There was no concept of untouchabilties in rig vedic but it was a creation of later perod. Shudra or the lowest caste was assign the task of serving the upper casts.
Women were treated equal to men. Women were allowed to take part in political process. The birth of girl child was more prefered. However in the later vedic period the women were treated as second citizen and evil practices of child marriage,sati etc became prevalant.
The rig vedic people were mostly pastoral and lived in a small territory where they had a strong sense of brotherhood. Their polical life was democratic in nature. The common people elected their king in samiti(local assembly).In the later perod the democratic system declined and absolute monarchy emerged. Bigger kingdom began to annex smaller kingdom thus, rise in imperielistic tendency.
In the religious sphere the rig vedic people personified and deitified the nature and worshipped them. Both men and women worshipped them. In later period religion became more complex with brahmins taking dominant roles and requiring number of expensive sacrifices which were out of common people’s reach.
In short we can say that life was very easy and simple for everybody during the rig vedic times. With time the indian society greatly deterioted and the life of women and the lower caste became hell. This deterioration of society further increased in subsequent times and it is so strongly hardwired in the mentality of the people which is evident in the present times where we can still witness many caste and gender discrimination in the indian society.planation: