Social Science · Class 6 · New Empires and Kingdoms · Term 3

Society and the Common People

Get a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people during this era, including the social structure, occupations, and the condition of untouchables as described by travellers.

TL;DR:Let's step away from the grand palaces and epic battles to explore the bustling streets, quiet villages, and busy workshops of ancient India.

• CBSE Learning Outcomes
• NCERT Class 6: Our Pasts-I, Chapter 10

About This Topic

This topic delves into the social fabric of ancient and early medieval India, shifting the historical focus from rulers and dynasties to the lives of ordinary people. Aligned with the NCF's emphasis on understanding social structures and change, this chapter explores the complexities of the varna system, the emergence of numerous jatis, and the harsh realities faced by those outside the system, often termed 'untouchables'. It examines the economic vibrancy of the era through the lens of guilds, or 'shrenis', which were powerful associations of merchants and craftspersons that regulated trade, quality, and prices, and even functioned as banks.

A crucial pedagogical element is the introduction of historical sources beyond inscriptions and texts, specifically the accounts of foreign travellers. By analysing the writings of Chinese Buddhist pilgrims like Fa Xian, students learn to critically evaluate primary sources to reconstruct the past. This approach encourages them to think like historians, piecing together a more nuanced picture of society by comparing the opulent life of a feudal lord or 'samanta' with the subsistence existence of a common farmer. This comparative analysis helps students grasp the immense social and economic disparities that characterized the period.

Key Questions

1. Explain the role of guilds or 'shrenis' of merchants and craftspersons.
2. Analyse the accounts of Chinese pilgrims like Fa Xian to understand the social conditions of the time.
3. Compare the life of a powerful samanta with that of an ordinary farmer.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the key features of the social structure, including the varna system and the condition of untouchables.
• Explain the economic and social functions of merchant and craftsperson guilds (shrenis).
• Analyse information from a traveller's account to draw conclusions about the society of the period.
• Compare and contrast the daily life, power, and responsibilities of a samanta and an ordinary farmer.
• Identify different occupations that existed beyond farming and ruling.

Key Vocabulary

Shreni	An association or guild of craftspersons or merchants who worked together to regulate their trade.
Samanta	A subordinate chief or feudal lord who ruled over a piece of land on behalf of a king.
Pilgrim	A person who undertakes a journey to a holy place for religious reasons.
Untouchables	Groups of people who were considered outside and below the varna system, forced into 'unclean' jobs and subjected to extreme social discrimination.
Varna	The theoretical four-fold division of society in ancient India: Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Society in the past was simple, with only kings and poor farmers.

What to Teach Instead

Ancient Indian society was complex with many layers. Between the king and the farmer, there were powerful officials, wealthy merchants, skilled craftspersons, soldiers, and priests, all with distinct roles and economic conditions.

Common Misconception

Guilds or 'shrenis' were just like modern-day companies.

What to Teach Instead

While they did regulate business, shrenis were much more. They were community associations that set rules, controlled quality, acted as banks, and even had social and religious functions for their members, unlike a modern corporation which is purely economic.

Common Misconception

The accounts of foreign travellers like Fa Xian must be 100% accurate.

What to Teach Instead

Travellers' accounts are valuable historical sources, but they reflect the author's personal views, biases, and what they chose to see or were shown. We must read them critically, like a detective looking at evidence, and compare them with other sources.

Active Learning Ideas

Role Play

A Day in the Life Role-Play

Assign students roles like a powerful samanta, a farmer, a member of a weavers' guild, or an untouchable. Students prepare and act out a short scene from their character's typical day, highlighting their duties, rights, and interactions with others.

45 min·Small Groups

Role Play

Fa Xian's Travel Journal

Provide students with a simplified, age-appropriate excerpt from Fa Xian's account of India. In pairs, they must act as historians, highlighting phrases that describe social customs, the condition of cities, and the treatment of different people.

30 min·Pairs

Role Play

Create a Classroom 'Shreni'

Divide the class into different craft guilds (e.g., potters, weavers, carpenters). Each guild must create a set of rules for its members regarding quality of work, fair prices, and how to help a member in need.

40 min·Small Groups

Real-World Connections

• Understanding the historical roots of the caste system helps in appreciating the importance of India's constitutional provisions for social justice and equality.
• Modern trade unions and business associations, like FICCI or CII, share similarities with ancient shrenis in how they represent and protect the interests of their members.
• Reading travel blogs or watching vlogs about different countries today is the modern equivalent of studying accounts from travellers like Fa Xian to learn about other cultures.
• The concept of banking and loans, which shrenis provided, is a fundamental part of our modern economy.
• Comparing the lives of different people then helps us analyse social and economic inequality in our own society today.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Use an exit ticket where students must write two sentences describing a 'shreni' and one sentence about the life of an 'untouchable' as per Fa Xian's account.

Peer Assessment

Ask students to create a comparative table detailing the food, housing, work, and power of a samanta versus a farmer.

Quick Check

Provide a checklist of key concepts (shreni, samanta, pilgrim's account). Students rate their confidence level (high, medium, low) for each.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Chinese pilgrims like Fa Xian come to India?

They were devout Buddhists who travelled to India, the birthplace of Buddhism, to visit sacred sites, study religious texts, and collect original Buddhist scriptures to take back to China.

What exactly was a 'samanta'?

A samanta was a subordinate ruler or a powerful landlord who accepted the authority of a king. In return for land grants, they paid tribute to the king and were expected to provide soldiers for the king's army during wars.

What could a guild do if a member produced a low-quality item?

The guild had its own rules and could punish the member. This could range from a fine to, in serious cases, expulsion from the guild, which would make it very difficult for the craftsperson to continue their trade in that city.

Why were some people considered 'untouchable'?

This was a deeply unfortunate aspect of the rigid social hierarchy. People in occupations considered 'impure', such as handling dead animals or sweeping, were placed outside the varna system and faced severe discrimination. They were forced to live in separate settlements and were treated as polluting by the upper castes.