| CRAFT PRODUCTION
The Rig Veda mentions artisans such as carpenters, chariot-makers, weavers and leather-workers. Copper metallurgy was one of the important developments of this period. The term ayas in the Rig Veda refers to copper and bronze. Karmara, smith, is mentioned in the Rig Veda. Likewise, there are references to siri or yarn, indicating spinning which was done by women and to carpenters, takshan. |
Political Organization
- The basic unit of political organization was kula or family. Several families joined together on the basis of their kinship to form a village or grama. The leader of grama was known as gramani. A group of villages constituted a larger unit called visu. It was headed by vishayapati. The highest political unit was called jana or tribe. There were several tribal kingdoms during the Rig Vedic period such as Bharatas, Matsyas, Yadus and Purus. The head of the kingdom was called as rajan or king. The Rig Vedic polity was normally monarchical and the succession was hereditary. The king was assisted by purohita or priest and senani or commander of the army in his administration. There were two popular bodies called the Sabha and Samiti. The former seems to have been a council of elders and the latter, a general assembly of the entire people.
The religion of early Vedic Aryans was primarily of
- Bhakti
- Image worship and Yajnas
- Worship of nature and Yajnas
- Worshiping of nature and Bhakti
ANSWER: C
Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedas, chiefly contains (1984)
(a) Collection of hymns to gods
(b) Methods of Vedic yagnas
(c) Early Aryan culture
(d) Origin and works of Hindy gods
ANSWER: A
