NCERT Class 9 Social Science Understanding Society India and Beyond Part 1 Chapter 05 State and Society up to 1000 CE PDF Download

Chapter 5: State and Society up to 1000 CE

The Big Questions

1. How did society and state organise themselves prior to 1000 CE?
2. How did states and societies emerge and spread to different parts of the Indian subcontinent?
3. How did the ideas of dharma and chakravarti samrat help create unity in social values and governance, and promote the idea of the Indian subcontinent as one political entity?
4. How did different social, administrative, and occupational groups take shape over time and come together culturally?

In the previous chapter, we traced the long journey of human development from our early ancestors to the emergence of settled communities and, subsequently, civilisations. We also examined the Sindhu - Sarasvati civilisation along with other Bronze Age civilisations of the world.

Let us now study the historical developments in the Indian subcontinent, with reference to state and society up to the end of the first millennium CE. By the end of this chapter, we will notice that our understanding of this period is more detailed and qualitatively enriched. This is because, from at least the second millennium BCE, we begin to find literary sources - the Rigveda being the earliest - that supplement archaeological evidence and provide insights into the social, political, cultural, and moral dimensions of the past. As a result, we gain insights into the social and political realities, ideas, ideologies, institutions, and practices of this period. We will begin with the social and political landscape described in the literary sources such as kin-based social organisation (jana, kula) and early forms of polity. Thereafter, we will study their development into more complex and bigger, territory-based political units like janapadas and mahajanapadas, and eventually into empires during the time of the Mauryas and the Guptas in northern India, and the Cholas in southern India. Alongside these changes, we will also examine elements of continuity, particularly the political ideal of a pan-Indian monarch - expressed through ritual practices such as the ashvamedha yajna and the concept of the chakravarti samrat - as well as the enduring socio-ethical principle of dharma.

This long span of time (refer to Fig 5.1) witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties and regional powers across the Indian subcontinent, which you have also explored in previous grades. In this chapter, we will gain a deeper understanding of the broad features of the state and society of this period, through representative examples from different regions of the subcontinent.

LET'S EXPLORE

As you read the chapter, follow the timeline at the bottom of each page. Notice the important events, changes, and connections across time. Think about which event interests you the most and why. By the end of the chapter, share one event you would like to explore further and document:

1. What happened?
2. When did it happen?
3. Why do you think it matters?

[Fig. 5.1: Broad timeline of early India, See in your textbook]

Understanding Early Indian State and Society

Whenever large groups of people live together, certain rules and shared norms evolve over time to maintain order and harmony. These rules and norms bind different social groups into a unified whole, forming a 'system' that helps organise and govern people effectively. From early times, Indian society developed several such systems of organisation based on existing customs, traditions, and agreed practices. Before examining these systems, however, let us first explore a fundamental question - what is society?

A society may be understood as a system of social relationships among individuals who share a common territory, culture, and a shared sense of belonging. It consists of structural units such as families or households, institutions such as marriage, and customs that provide a framework for individual and social life. Most importantly, society is primarily regulated by customs and practices rather than formal laws.

And what is a State? As you read in your previous grades under the theme 'Governance and Democracy', a State refers to an organised political system based on rules and laws. It includes well-defined rights and duties of rulers and subjects, mechanisms of governance, and institutions for enforcing law and order. From a historical perspective, such political systems developed gradually as societies became larger and more complex. By studying early historical sources, historians attempt to understand how forms of governance

Teacher's Note

Remember the key difference between society and state. A society is built on customs and practices that people follow together - it is informal and develops naturally. A state, however, has formal rules, laws, and institutions that enforce them. Early India had both: families and communities (society) that followed dharma and traditions, alongside kingdoms and empires (states) with organised governments and armies.

Key Points

• Society is based on shared customs and practices that help people live together; a state is an organised political system with formal rules and institutions for governance.
• From the second millennium BCE onwards, literary sources like the Rigveda supplement archaeological evidence to give us detailed insights into early Indian social and political life.
• Early Indian political systems evolved from kin-based organisations (jana, kula) into larger territory-based units (janapadas and mahajanapadas) and eventually into empires like the Mauryas, Guptas, and Cholas.
• The concepts of dharma and chakravarti samrat provided cultural and political unity across the Indian subcontinent over this long period.

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