Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

History

Chapter

Ancient India: Kinship, Caste and Class

Question:

In Brahmanical practice from c. 1000 BCE onwards, people, especially Brahmanas, were classified based on:
1) Their profession and occupation.
2) Their geographical location.
3) Their gotras, named after Vedic seers.
4) Their social status and wealth.

Choose the correct answer from the given options:

Options:

4

3

2

1

Correct Answer:

3

Explanation:

From around c. 1000 BCE onwards, one of the Brahmanical practices was the classification of people, especially Brahmanas, based on their "gotras." Each gotra was named after a Vedic seer, and individuals belonging to the same gotra were considered descendants of that seer. Notably, two significant rules concerning gotras were in place: First, women were expected to relinquish their father's gotra and adopt their husband's gotra after marriage. Second, individuals belonging to the same gotra were forbidden from marrying each other.