Social Life in Premodern India
...ither and die, and if there was too much rain the crops would get washed away with the rain. As a result of getting too little rain the villagers built irrigation systems as well as roads or temples. Each village was basically self governed. It minded it’s own business and was run according to that specific villages’ caste system, and rules. It was left alone as long as it paid it’s taxes. Each village had a headsman and a councilman. They were the ones who basically made all the decisions, and dealt with outside authorities when needed. Members of the council included the most respected people of the village. In the beginning women were also on the council, but later on when the Hindu beliefs began to sink in they were excluded. In ancient India people lived, and some still do live in a joint family system. A joint family was when a whole family including: husband, wife, husband’s parents, aunts, uncles, brothers, all lived together in one house. In a joint family only the husband’s relatives were included because a girl was supposed to go her husband’s house after marriage. The joint family system was only practiced by the wealthy families because in poor family’s people often died young, so several generations seldom survived long enough to live together. Still even when they did not live together the families were very close. In the Indian family a man was thought to have great wisdom, so he enjoyed great authority, but his power was somewhat limited according to laws and traditions. He was to make a decision after consulting his wife, and other family members, also property belonged to the whole family, not just the male. The husband or the oldest male was the head of the household. . No one could disagree with that. The father would make all of the decisions for his kids. The children would be treated very unfairly. They had no say in what happened to them or anyone in the family, and they could be treated any way by their parents, especially their father, and the child wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Even the mother of the family could not over-rule the father. Even within the children there would also be inequity. The girls were unwanted, and the boys were treated better, and with more respect. Others would pray at a temple that their friends and relatives would have boys. It was a very unfair time and place A man was thought to have great wisdom, so he enjoyed great authority, but his power was limited according to laws and traditions. He was to make a decision after consulting his wife, and other family members, also property belonged to the whole family, not just the male. The relationship between parents and children was a good one. From childhood children learned about their family duties, including obeying the caste rules. Family interests came before individual interests, and wishes. Children worked with older relatives in the fields and/ or a family trade. Beginning at a young age the daughter was taught to obey her husband and in laws. A son learned the rituals to honor its ancestor’s. These beliefs linked the living and the dead, and it strengthened the bonds over the years in many generations. Ancient India's culture had many strong beliefs about how to live. They would have arranged marriages for all of their children. It was very important for them to arrange good marriages for their children. Marriages were arranged based on caste as well as family interests. When the parents of both families would arrange the marriages the parents of the women would have to give a dowry, or payment to the groom, and they also had to pay for the wedding itself. Dowries were like gifts that the women's side of the family would give to the future husband. The dowry was usually consisted of goods that the husband could use, so he wouldn't have to supply them. These were given in repayment for the trouble the bridegroom wase going through by marrying their daughter. They thought that it was a big trouble for the men to marry their daughter so they gave them a dowry. The parents thought it was trouble for the bridegroom to marry their daughter because back than if you had a daughter it was basically a really heavy weight on your shoulders to get her married and away from you. In ancient India as I said before your friends and family prayed to the god’s that you would have a son instead of a daughter. A son was better to have than a daughter because the son was the one who would maintain a family’s honor, provide for the family, and take care of the parents in old age. After marriage the girl left her house and became part of her husband’s family, and from then on the husband’s family was her family. Women are and were important to everyone around the world because they are the on...