Gupta Empire: Society's Caste System In Northern India

If the present day mom goes to the nearest grocery store, she might find that every price has a .99 behind it. When she goes home to make dinner, she’ll need to get 1.5 grams of salt for her grandma’s homemade lasagna recipe. But how does 1.5 mean one and a half? Between 320 and 550 CE, the decimal system that everyone worldwide uses today was invented during the Gupta Empire. In Northern India, everyday life was considerably different from then to now. Most citizens worshiped Hinduism which ultimately determined the civilization’s caste system. Artists and performers often experienced a more stable lifestyle than farmers. Wealthy families were able to afford entertainment and avoid heavy taxing. Life in the Gupta Empire was increasingly innovative

The majority of citizens were Hindu leading to the coexisting of Buddhism during the time. In “Gupta Dynasty”, they state that “The characteristic features of Hinduism enabled it to survive whereas the features of Buddhism led to its final decline. The rulers of the Gupta dynasty were all Hindu which is one reason the Buddhists were driven out. They started to persecute the Buddhists which led them to run to the hills and built caves near Ajanta to live, hide, and worship”. In life, it is a natural behavior to feel that one group is better than another. This leads to ‘survival of the fittest’ in which the patronizing group drives the lesser one out, allowing the bigger group to thrive. Hinduism also controlled many aspects of life and choices for all citizens, even for those who were not Hindu. In “The Maurya and Gupta Empires”, Jennifer Hutchinson tells readers that “the class structure known as the caste system controlled many aspects of life, determining such matters as marriage partners, occupations, and diet. At the system's top were the Brahmins, the priestly class”. Although the religions of the Gupta Empire coexisted, Hinduism still defined the major systems of life. The priests of Hinduism held the highest status within the social

It is said that “Prosperous town dwellers seem to have lived in comfort and ease…Dance performances and music concerts were held mainly in the homes of the wealthy and the discerning” (Aggarwal). It was mostly wealthy Guptas were the most entertained because they could afford performances and music in their own home while others less fortunate could not. They might have more free time than farmers or self income villagers. It was believed than “An important value in this system was the belief that everyone had a duty to fulfill the social role they were born into”(Hutchinson). This was expected of Guptas which meant that your family would determine your entire future and you wouldn’t be able to make too many choices. Nevertheless, many citizens went down a creative or discovering life path, and left footprints in history when they revolutionized the ways we live