Ashoka Universal School.

Academic Session 2021-22

Grade VI
Class Notes
Assessment-II

L-5 Early Vedic Civilization

E. Answer the following questions in one or

two words/sentences:
Q1.When did Aryans arrive in India?
Ans1. The Aryans began to arrive in India by
1500 BCE.
Q2.Which region in India was the first settlement of the
Indo-Aryans?
Ans2. The Aryans first settled in the Sapta Sindhu region,
i.e. the region of seven rivers. They named it
Brahmavarta, which means the land of the gods.
Q3.What was the chief source of information about the
early Indo-Aryans?
Ans3. Our chief source of information about the early
Indo-Aryans is their religious literature, known as the
Vedas. The history of India during this period is based
mainly on the Rig Veda, which was composed during this
period.
Q4. What role did the sabha play in the political affairs of
the Indo-Aryans tribes?
Ans4. The sabha was a small assembly of important
members of the tribe. They advised and guided the king.
Q5. What was swayamvara?
Ans5. A swayamvara was a ceremony in which women
could choose their husband.
Q6. How did the class system originate in the Early Vedic
society?
Ans6. The Aryans grouped themselves according to their
skills in performing certain jobs. This eventually led to the
development of four classes or varnas in the Aryan
society.
Q7. Mention two difference between the Indo-Aryan and
the people of Indus civilization
Ans7. The two important differences between the Aryans
and the people of the Indus Valley civilization were:
• The Early Vedic society was distinctly classified into
four different classes, but no such system existed in the
Indus Valley society.
• The Indus Valley civilization did not have kings whereas
in the Rig Vedic period, each tribe had its own chieftain
or rajan.
F. Answer the following questions briefly:
Q1. Give an account of the various stages of the Aryan
settlement in India.
 Ans1. The Aryans entered India in stages and took
several centuries to bring India under their control.
They first settled in the Sapta Sindhu region, i.e. the
region of seven rivers.
 They named it Brahmavarta, which means the land
of the gods. The period between 1500 bce and 1000
bce, during which they lived here, is known as the
Early Vedic period.
 The history of India during this period is based
mainly on the Rig Veda, which was composed during
this period. Hence, this period is also known as the
Rig Vedic period.
 The Aryans gradually moved ahead and settled in the
Gangetic Valley. The entire region under their
 control was renamed Aryavarta, which means the
land of the Aryans.
 This period of their settlement, between 1000 bce
and 600 bce, during which they lived in the Gangetic
Plains, is known as the Later Vedic period.
Q. Name the four Vedas. How have they come down to
us?
 Ans2. Our chief sources of information about the
early Aryans are their religious literature known as
the Vedas.
 The Vedas are a treasure house of the knowledge
and collective wisdom of the Aryans.
 The four Vedas are RigVeda, Atharva Veda, Sama
Veda and Yajur Veda.
 Each of these Vedas was first composed verbally
over a period of hundreds of years and was orally
handed down from generation to generation. This
continued for several centuries before they were
finally recorded in books.
Q. How did the rajan rule his tribe? What features of the
political system show that he was not an absolute ruler?
 Ans3. Each tribe had its own chieftain or rajan.
 The ablest and the strongest man in the tribe
became the king with the consent of the people.
  He protected them from enemies and looked after
their welfare. He was also acknowledged as their
spiritual leader.
 The king ruled according to the wishes of the tribe.
He was assisted by a number of officials.
 The purohita performed religious ceremonies and
advised the king on important matters.
 The senani was the commander-in-chief of the
warriors and led the forces during war.
 The rajan did not have absolute power. Two councils
called the sabha and the samiti exercised control
over the king. The samiti was a large assembly where
any member of the tribe could give his/her opinion
on important matters concerning the tribe.
 The sabha was a smaller assembly of important
members of the tribe. They advised and guided the
king.
Q4. Describe briefly: Family life,the position of women in
Rig Vedic Period
Ans4. (a) Family life: The Aryans lived in villages. Each
village was composed of a number of joint families. The
head of the family was the grihapati, the eldest living
male member. His decision was final and binding on all
the other members.
(b) Position of women: Women enjoyed an important
position in society. Monogamy was the usual practice.
They were given opportunities for education. Some
women scholars are believed to have composed some of
the wife was present. Women could choose their
husbands in a ceremony called swayamvara. There was
no child marriage and widows were allowed to remarry.
Q5. What were the main forms of recreation of the
Aryans?
Ans5. The Aryans were fond of outdoor activities. They
enjoyed chariot racing and hunting. They also liked music
and dance. Indoor activities like dice and board games
were popular, too.
Q6. Name the gods worshipped by Rigvedic Aryans. How
did they worship their gods.
6. The Aryans believed in one supreme power, i.e. the
creator of the universe. They worshipped the different
forces of nature as gods and goddesses. Indra, the god of
rain and thunder, was the most important god. Agni, the
god of fire, was next in importance. It was believed that
Agni carried messages to heaven in the form of smoke.
Surya, the sun god, Varuna, the god of water, Vayu, the
god of wind, Soma, the god of plants, Prithvi, the god of
the earth, Usha, the goddess of dawn, and Yama, the god
of death, were some of the other gods worshipped by
the Aryans. All these gods and goddesses were supposed
to be different forms of the one Supreme Being. The
Early Vedic people did not build temples or idols. Their
gods were worshipped in the open air by chanting hymns
and making offerings (grain, ghee and milk) to them. The
people recited prayers in praise of their gods for good
health, for the birth of sons and for cattle. The yagnas
were performed by the brahmanas. The entire family
took part in yagnas and other religious ceremonies. the
Rig Vedic hymns. No religious ceremony could be
performed unless according to their skills in performing