The family was the basic unit of social organization in ancient India. The family at that time was unusually a joint family. The rite of Saraddha played an important part in binding the members from the common ancestors.
The ancient Indian’ Society was based upon vernal and ashrams, a fourfold classification of the entire people into Varnas and a fourfold division of the life of each individuals into ashrams (stages).
Ashrams are an outstanding feature of the social organization in ancient India. This system particularly developed during the later Vedic period.
The position of women was not identical throughout ancient period. But mostly "the women could not lead a free life and she lived under the tutelage of her parents, her husband or her sons. However, this did not effect the position of the women in the family.
The position of women was not identical throughout ancient period. But mostly the woman could not lead a free life and she lived under the tutelage of her parents, her husband or her sons. The early law books treated the women as equivalent to the Sutra.
The institution of slavery existed in ancient India, although it operated in much milder form than in the ancient civilizations of the west. Its operation was at a low key that foreign travelers like Metatheses did note it, for we do not get any reference in this account about slavery.
Religion was presented in philosophical terms and hence we find that the era of the revival of Hinduism was also an age of the growth of philosophical systems revealing the different facets of the Ultimate Reality in its entire splendor.
The people of ancient India paid sufficient attention to their dresses and decorations. The garments were used mainly to cover the body and usually consisted of lengths of clothes draped around the body and over the shoulders fastened with a belt.
The Brahmanas contained detailed explanation of Vedic literature and instructions. The Aryanyakas are an appendix to the Brahmans, prescribed certain rites and philosophical literature.