Caste System in Gupta Era

One of the most notable features of Indian society till date has been caste system. So was it during Gupta era also. There were three notable features of caste system in Gupta era as follows:

• Firstly, upper castes although managed their respective position in the caste hierarchy, yet there was an indication mobility and fluidity, which allowed other castes (than Brahmins) to make some progress.
• Secondly, condition of Shudras improved mainly because the link between occupation and birth got loose for some time. As the shudras entered into farming, they upgraded themselves into sharecroppers.
• Thirdly, the condition of lowest strata of society, untouchables reached to nadir. They were forced to live away from population and engaged in most demeaning occupations.

With the increased political decentralization and liberal land grants, the hitherto tribal groups which lived isolated lives were brought into the caste system. In other words, Gupta era accelerated the detribalization of India. Further, the remnants of existing foreign groups such as Shakas, Yavanas, Kushanas etc. were also acculturated in the caste system. However, caste endogamy was not much rigid now as compared to earlier times. The society approved and acknowledged the anuloma and pratiloma marriages despite various restrictions on them in religious scriptures.

Further, there are indications of the weakening of the links between caste and its occupation. There are records of Brahmins and Kshatriyas adopting occupations of lower castes and Vaishyas and shudras of upper castes. Further, the Gupta period is marked by a remarkable improvement in the conditions of Shudras. They increasingly adopted the farming and turned into sharecroppers and peasants, craftsmen, joined the army and also were able to get education. This forward movement of shudras, though in limited extent, was a significant marker of social mobility.

But, this was counterbalanced by growth of a new outcaste group called Untouchables. The untouchables including chandals lived away from the other groups and were assigned the most demeaning and polluting occupations. The were at the lowest stratus of Indian society. Fa-Hien had rightly admitted that a Chandals or untouchables had to sound a clapper in the streets so that the upper caste people could be warned of his presence. The upper caste person would need to take a ritual bath in the event of close proximity with an untouchable.