Which one of the following was not a characteristic feature of Indian society during Mauryan times?

Introduction / Context:
The Mauryan period, especially under Ashoka, is one of the earliest times in Indian history for which we have relatively detailed administrative and social information from inscriptions and texts like Arthashastra. Understanding the nature of society in this period involves evaluating which institutions were present and how rigid or flexible they were. This question asks you to identify which feature was not typical or fully developed in Mauryan society.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are dealing with social features in the Mauryan age.
• Options include slavery, rigidity of caste, prostitution, and widow remarriage.
• We have to pick the feature that was not characteristic of that time.

Concept / Approach:
Sources suggest that forms of slavery and bonded labour existed in Mauryan India, and prostitution or courtesan culture was known and even regulated in some treatises. Widow remarriage was not universally accepted but did occur among certain communities and social groups. However, the highly rigid, elaborate caste system with strictly enforced hereditary barriers and innumerable sub castes is more characteristic of later periods. In Mauryan times, varna distinctions existed, but they had not yet hardened into the kind of rigid caste hierarchy seen in later classical and medieval periods. Therefore, extreme rigidity of caste is the least characteristic feature for this era.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that slavery is directly mentioned in Arthashastra and other sources as a known institution. Step 2: Note that prostitution and the presence of courtesans are also described, sometimes with regulations and taxes. Step 3: Understand that widow remarriage, while not universally encouraged among higher varnas, certainly existed in some communities. Step 4: Evaluate the notion of rigid caste: the varna system existed, but its extreme hereditary rigidity and complex jati structure developed more fully later. Step 5: Therefore, conclude that strict rigidity of caste is the one feature that was not yet a defining characteristic of Mauryan society.

Verification / Alternative check:
Social histories of ancient India often emphasise that while social stratification existed, the caste system in Mauryan times was still evolving. Later dharmashastra texts and medieval practices show a far more rigid and complex caste order compared to the Mauryan era.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Slavery, prostitution, and the possibility of widow remarriage among certain groups are all attested in the literature and inscriptions of the period, so they cannot be regarded as absent. Only the fully rigid caste system with very strict hereditary barriers is more appropriately associated with later centuries.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may assume that caste rigidity has always been the same throughout Indian history and therefore mistakenly accept it as a timeless feature. It is important to recognise that institutions evolve, and the Mauryan period was earlier in this evolution.

Final Answer:
The feature that was not a characteristic of Mauryan society is rigidity of caste with very strict hereditary barriers.