Social Levels
		The people who lived in the Indus River Valley did not have a very equally balanced environment between people.  A rich man who was a priest or a scholar would be considered one of the highest people.  Here is a list of all of the different kinds of occupations and where they stood in the ancient Indus civilization social ladder.
				Gods and Goddesses Priests and Scholars The Rajas and Their Noblemen Merchants, Farmers, Land owners, and Craftsmen Servants, Workers, Wage earners
			The people of the Indus Valley all took part in the community life.  The gods didn't really have a part in community life but they influenced the people in the community greatly.  The priests and scholars taught the Vedas (described on culture page) and they were the ones who made the offerings to the gods.  The Rajas were the people who ruled the city and would give the Priests gifts so that they would teach them the Vedas. The Noblemen were the people who were sent by the Rajas to guard the city.  The merchants and peasants were the farmers and the craftsmen and the landowners.  These were the people who supplied the people with food clothing and other goods.  Then came the servants.  These were the people that served and did the jobs that nobody else wanted to.  These classes were called varnas.  If you were born in one varna you lived and married in that varna.
		Another place in India where social levels were shown is at home.  The men were the head of the house.  No one could disagree with that.  The father would make all of the decisions for everyone.  The children would be treated very unfairly.  They had no say in what happened to them or anyone in the family, and they could be treated any way by their parents, especially their father, and the child wouldn't be able to do anything about it.  Even the mother of the family could not over-rule the father.  Even within the children there would also would be inequity.  The girls were unwanted, and the boys were treated better, and with more respect.  Others would pray at a temple that their friends and relatives would have boys.  It was a very unfair time and place for every one then, except for rich, important men.
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