Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

History

Chapter

Ancient India: Kinship, Caste and Class

Question:

Which of the following statements about Gotras is NOT correct?

Options:

Many of the women who married Satvahanas rulers retained their fathers' names instead of adopting names derived from their husband's Gotras.

Some of these women married in the same Gotras. This ran counter to the ideal of exogamy recommended in the Brahmanical texts

Both 1 and 2

None of the above.

Correct Answer:

None of the above.

Explanation:

Some of the Satavahana rulers were polygynous (that is, had more than one wife). An examination of the names of women who married Satavahana rulers indicates that many of them had names derived from gotras such as Gotama and Vasistha, their father’s gotras. They evidently retained these names instead of adopting names derived from their husband’s gotra name as they were required to do according to the Brahmanical rules. What is also apparent is that some of these women belonged to the same gotra. As is obvious, this ran counter to the ideal of exogamy recommended in the Brahmanical texts. In fact, it exemplified an alternative practice, that of endogamy or marriage within the kin group, which was (and is) prevalent amongst several communities in south India. Such marriages amongst kinfolk (such as cousins) ensured a close-knit community.