NCERT Explained: Class VI History, Chapter 4 - What Books and Burials Tell Us

Introduction to the Topic

History is not just about old coins, monuments, or broken pottery. Sometimes, the most fascinating stories of our ancestors are hidden within the pages of ancient books and the silent stones of ancient graves. In Chapter 4 of the Class VI NCERT History textbook, titled 'What Books and Burials Tell Us,' we embark on a journey back in time—about 3,500 years ago—to discover how literature and archaeology help us reconstruct the lives of people who lived in the Indian subcontinent.

This chapter introduces us to two primary sources of information: the Vedas (our oldest literary sources) and Megaliths (large stone structures used for burials). By studying these, we learn about the social structure, occupations, religious beliefs, and even the food habits of early societies. Understanding this period is crucial because it marks the transition from the Harappan civilization to the Vedic age, setting the foundation for much of Indian culture and tradition.

Key Concepts Explained

1. The Oldest Books: The Vedas

One of the oldest books in the world is the Rigveda. There are four Vedas: the Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, and Atharvaveda. The Rigveda is the oldest, composed about 3,500 years ago. It includes more than a thousand hymns, called sukta (meaning 'well-said'). These hymns were composed by sages (rishis) to praise various gods and goddesses.

The Three Important Gods:

• Agni: The god of fire.
• Indra: A warrior god.
• Soma: A plant from which a special drink was prepared.

It is important to note that the Rigveda was not written down immediately. For centuries, it was recited and heard. It was passed down from teachers to students through oral tradition. It was written down several centuries after it was first composed and printed less than 200 years ago.

2. The Language of the Vedas: Vedic Sanskrit

The Rigveda is written in Old or Vedic Sanskrit, which is different from the Sanskrit you might learn in school today. Sanskrit is part of the Indo-European language family. Other languages in this family include Indian languages like Hindi, Assamese, Gujarati, and Kashmiri, as well as European languages like English, French, German, and Greek. This explains why words like 'matr' (Sanskrit), 'maa' (Hindi), and 'mother' (English) sound so similar!

3. How Historians Study the Rigveda

Historians treat the Rigveda like a primary source. They examine the hymns to understand the concerns of the people. Many hymns are in the form of dialogues. For example, there is a famous dialogue between the sage Vishvamitra and two rivers, Beas and Sutlej, who are worshipped as goddesses. Such dialogues suggest that the people lived in areas where these rivers flowed and that they valued horses and cows, as the rivers are compared to them.

4. Social Classification in the Vedic Age

The Rigveda mentions different groups of people based on their work, language, and where they lived. There were two main groups classified by their functions:

• The Brahmins: Priests who performed various rituals and advised the leaders.
• The Rajas: These were not like the kings we see later in history. They did not have capital cities, palaces, or standing armies, and they did not collect taxes. Leadership was often not hereditary.

The community as a whole was referred to by two terms: Jana and Vish (the word 'Vaishya' comes from Vish). The people who composed the hymns called themselves Aryas and referred to their opponents as Dasas or Dasyus. The Dasas were often enslaved people captured in war.

5. The Silent Sentinels: Megaliths

While the Vedas were being composed in the North-West, other developments were happening in the Deccan, South India, North-East, and Kashmir. This was the practice of erecting Megaliths (literally 'big stones'). These large stones were used to mark burial sites.

The practice began around 3,000 years ago. Some megaliths can be seen on the surface, while others, known as cists, are underground. These burials often contain common features:

• The dead were buried with distinctive pots, called Black and Red Ware.
• Tools and weapons of iron were often found in the graves.
• Skeletons of horses, horse equipment, and ornaments of stone and gold have also been discovered.

6. Social Differences in Burials

Archaeologists believe that the objects found with a skeleton probably belonged to the deceased person. These findings suggest social differences among the people buried. For instance, in Brahmagiri, one skeleton was buried with 33 gold beads, two stone beads, four copper bangles, and one conch shell. Meanwhile, other skeletons were buried with only a few pots. This indicates that some people were rich while others were poor; some were chiefs while others were followers.

7. A Special Burial Site: Inamgaon

Located on the banks of the river Ghod (a tributary of the Bhima), Inamgaon was occupied between 3,600 and 2,700 years ago. Excavations here revealed unique burial practices:

• Adults were generally buried in the ground, laid out straight, with the head towards the north.
• Sometimes burials were within the houses themselves.
• One famous find was a man buried in a large, four-legged clay jar in the courtyard of a five-roomed house—one of the largest houses at the site. This suggests the person might have been a leader or a wealthy individual.

Archaeologists also found seeds of wheat, barley, rice, pulses, millets, peas, and sesame, along with bones of various animals (cattle, buffalo, goat, sheep, dog, horse, etc.), many bearing cut marks. This tells us that the people of Inamgaon were farmers and hunters.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Vedas: The Rigveda is the oldest (3,500 years old) and provides insight into the spiritual and social life of the North-West.
• Language: Sanskrit belongs to the Indo-European family, showing connections between diverse cultures.
• Social Order: Society was divided into groups like Brahmins, Rajas, Jana, and Dasas, based on work and status.
• Megaliths: These large stone markers indicate organized burial practices in Central and South India.
• Archaeological Evidence: Iron tools and gold ornaments in graves prove that ancient societies had specialized craftsmen and social hierarchies.
• Daily Life: Findings at Inamgaon show a settled lifestyle with farming, animal rearing, and distinct housing patterns.