Social conditions During the Rise of regional kingdoms in North India
Different types of feudal chiefs:
Some were government officers who were increasing the pay not in cash but by assigning to their lands. others were defeated kings and their supporters who continued to enjoy the revenues of Limited areas. some other local territory chiefs and military adventurers who had carved out a sphere of influence with the help of armed supporters. the actual position of these people varied. some of them were only village chiefs, some dominated a tract comprising a number of villages, While others dominated an entire region. There was a definite hierarchy among these chiefs. they constantly contested against each other and try to enhance their position.
The caste system:
It formed the basis of the society as in earlier periods, but now the Kshatriyas and the brahmins were given more privileges, while more and more social and religious disabilities were placed on the Sudras and other lower castes than in the earlier period.
The proliferation of caste system:
Contemporary writers mention a large number of sub-castes such as potters, weavers, goldsmiths, musicians, barbers, fishermen, etc. some of these were area guilds of workers fictional began to be classified as castes (Jatis). It is significant to note that the Smrithi writers of the period regard handicrafts as low occupation. Thus most of the workers are also classified as untouchables.
Emergence of Kayastha
Sometimes it was found difficult to classify new castes in the Verna scale, like the Kayastha caste. it seems that originally people from different castes, including brahmins and Shudras were called kiester because of a particular occupation they carried on. in course of time, they emerged as a distinct caste, usually employed as scribes in the Royal Court.
Position of women:
They continued to be denied the right to study. for the more the marriageable age for girls was lowered, thereby destroying their opportunities for higher education. women, in general, were distrusted. they were kept in seclusion and their life was regulated by the male relations including father, brother, husband, son.
However with the growth of property rights in the land the property rights of women also increased. in order to preserve the property of a family, women were given the right to inherit the property of their male relations. the growth of the feudal society strengthen the concept of private property. the practice of Sati seems to have spread widely and was even made obligatory by some writers.
Education and learning:
The attitude of the learned classes of North India became increasingly rigid during this period. they tended to repeat by rote the past learning, Instead of putting forward and welcoming new ideas. they also tend to isolate themselves from the main currents of scientific thought outside India. this is reflected in the writings of Al beruni a noted scientist and scholar from Central Asia who lived in India for about ten years during the early part of the eleventh-century a.d. although he admired Indian Sciences and learning he also noted the insular attitude of the learned people of the country, the Brahmins. the attitude of trying to confine knowledge among a very narrow group and the taking and arrogant attitude towards new ideas, from which resource they might come, was largely responsible for making India backward. in course of time, India had to pay a very heavy price for its backwardness.
Religious development:
Both Buddhism and Jainism continue to decline period it was during this period that Buddhism almost disappeared from the land of its birth after the fall of the palas. at the same time there was a marked Revival and expansion of Hinduism this took many forms the most important being the growing popularity of Shiva and Vishnu. a number of popular movements arose around the worship of these gods. in Eastern India and a new form of worship called the worship of Shakti for the worship of the female principal rose during this period. The Hindus begin to worship Durga Kali excetra who were associated with Shiva and the Buddhists worshipped Taras as the consorts of the Buddha.