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Exploring India

The Caste System The class a person belonged to became important during Aryan times. These classes formed the basis of the caste system which still continues in India today. The three highest classes were the priests, called Brahmins, warriors and nobles, called Kshatriyas, and merchants, called Vaishyas. A fourth class, Sudras, was made up of the non- Aryan people who originally lived in the areas invaded by the Aryans. Sudras were usually farmers. The Rig Veda contains an account of how the caste system was created from a cosmic being, Purusha. The Brahmins came from his mouth, the Kshatriyas from his arms, the Vaishyas from his thighs and the Sudras from his feet. A gni, the Aryan god of fire. The sacred fire was central to many Aryan religious ceremonies and rituals. It was thought that it linked Heaven and Earth, carrying people’s sacrifices up to the gods.

The Rig Veda One of our main sources of information about Aryan religion is a collection of 1,028 hymns, called the Rig Veda. These hymns were recited by the priests at sacrifices and ceremonies. Some hymns were addressed to specific gods. There were also battle hymns, observations and dialogues. The Aryans spoke Sanskrit and passed the hymns down by word of mouth. A hymn had to be spoken and pronounced absolutely perfectly for it to be effective. It was not until centuries later that the hymns were written down for the first time. The Rig Veda remains one of the most sacred Hindu holy texts and its hymns are still sung at weddings and funerals. connected with nature and the world around them. Their most important god was Indra, god of the sky, rain, thunder and war. Other major gods included Varuna, controller of the universe, Surya, the sun god, Agni, the god of fire and Yama, the god of death. The Aryans offered sacrifices, often of animals, to the gods to gain their blessings. The priests who conducted the sacrifices and rituals were among the most important members of Aryan society. The offerings were placed in a sacred fire which carried them to the gods. The mingling of ideas from the Aryan and Indus Valley religions formed the basis of Hinduism (see page 5). Aryan Religion The Aryans worshiped many gods, especially those I ndra, the Aryan god of war and the sky, mounted on his white battle elephant.

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