The Gupta Empire was founded in north India, in the beginning of fourth century A.D., after a long period of chaos, which ensued when the Kushana Empire ended in the middle of the third century. In the interim period, a number of new people and states had emerged, about whom there exists scanty historical records. It was only after the foundation of the Gupta Empire that there was once again unity and peace over almost the whole of North India. Known as the `Golden Age` and `Classical Period`, there was a degree of balance and harmony in all the arts and an efficient system of administration during the Gupta period. Peaceful and balanced social life was one of the chief features of the Gupta period.

The Smritis and accounts of Fa-Hien are the chief sources of knowledge about the social life of the Guptas. Fa-Hien had stayed in India for a long period of 9 years, from 401 to 410 A.D. and visited various periods of north India, including Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Bengal. He had spent several years in Pataliputra and Tamralipta. Therefore he could have had a first hand knowledge of the social life of the Guptas. According to his accounts, people were very happy and content during the period of the Guptas and were free to move anywhere. Since public morality was very high during that time, therefore criminal law was lenient. People were mainly vegetarian and did not even eat onion or garlic. The habit of drinking wine among people was rare. Only the Chandalas and the sweepers drank wine and ate meat. However, they lived outside the towns and villages.

The representation of society as described by Fa-Hien depicts that town-dwellers lived a comfortable life and enjoyed a good standard of living. People living in the outskirts, like the Chandalas, were not so well of. Villagers lived on the production of their own cultivations and products manufactured by their artisans. "Kamasutra" indicates the comfortable life of the well-to-do citizens of towns. "Kamasutra" depicts the refinement and leisure of city life. It is presumed by historians that the city people beguiled themselves with poetry, writing and painting. Gatherings were held where poetry was recited and dancing performances were held. Youth of upper classes played the lute and practiced singing and even received training in the art of love, as Kamasutra testifies. Joint-family system was actually the general rule of family life. The head of the family governed the family unit. But Smritis also dictates the partition of family and familial properties. The male members dominated the family and society.

Though women were subordinate to men in society, yet their position was no less significant. Women in Gupta society were idealised in literature. Basham has pointed out that ancient literature presented contradictory attitude towards women. While women were respected as anchors of the family, at the same time were mother of children and the friend of husband, a living goddess. Dandin in "Dashakumara-charita" had proposed disparaging remarks about women in a class. He had described them as quarrelsome and disgusting. Education was permitted in a limited way to the upper class women in Gupta civilization. They not only participated in public life, but there is also reference to women teachers. There are instances also that women used to take part in governmental and administrative functions.

Agramahisini, or the chief queen had a special place in the royal palace of the Guptas. Every minister was bound to act according to the will of this chief queen or Agramahisini. Prabhabati Gupta, daughter of Chandragupta II had administered the Vakataka government after the death of her husband. Vatsayana had recommended Sastric education for women in order to sharpen the intellect of women. There is reference to women teachers in "Amarakosha", who were well versed in Vedic hymns. The practice of Swyamvara was in vogue during the Guptas. But in general women were kept in subordination. The Smritis lowered the age of girls. Hence child marriage and polygamy were widely prevalent during that time. A married woman had to live with many wives of her husband. This custom was in vogue even in the royal family. Celibacy of widows became a general rule in the Gupta society. Sometimes the custom of Sati was also recommended. It is known from the Gupta inscription that Goparaja, a feudal chief of Bhanugupta, had died while fighting with the Huns. His wife had performed self-immolation. According to historians, Sati was prevalent largely among the Kshatriyas and other martial races.

Social morality rate during the Gupta era was not very high. The Smritis treated debauchery as a small crime, which could be wiped out by `prayschitta` (observing confession). But debauchery by the Sudras was regarded a serious crime because it affected the Varna or caste system, which was a significant feature of the Gupta society. The entire society was subdivided into several castes- the Brahmanas, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas and the Sudras. The Brahmanas belonged to the upper stratum of the society and enjoyed all the socio-economic privileges, while the Sudras or the lower castes were deprived of those privileges. Existence of a large number of courtesans was a momentous feature of urban life during the Gupta period. It has been suggested by historians that there was a vogue to maintain courtesans in royal families. Kamasutra also had prescribed conversational and behavioral training to the courtesans. Vatsayana had prescribed the learning of 64 katas by a courtesan, including dancing, singing, cooking and the art of dressing and art of repartee. Courtesans also could return to an honest life if they wished to. The `Devdasi` system was widely practiced during the Gupta period. Kalidasa had referred to devdasis in Mahakala Temple of Ujjaini. However "Manu Smriti" referred them as the outcasts and social maladies.

Amusements consisted of theatrical entertainments, dances, performances and musical concerts. Though gambling was a popular pastime, animal fighting, wrestling and athletics was no less popular in the Gupta society and was in vogue both in towns and villages. Various festivals- religious and secular also provided amusement to the people. Festivals were celebrated by wearing new dresses and eating meat and drinking wine or `sura` and chewing betel leaf or `pan`.

Education and learning constituted a significant status in Gupta society. Education during the Gupta period was provided by the Brahmanical agraharas and in Buddhist monasteries. No distinction was however made between Buddhist and Hindu teachings. Primary education was provided by members of the family. Formal and higher education was given in the agraharas or monasteries. Baranasi, Nasik, Kanchi were great centres of Brahmanical learning. Several universities had sprang up under the patronage of the Gupta kings. University of Nalanda was the legendary Buddhist University, which provided outstanding education regarding various branches of art, philosophy, grammar, humanities, astrology etc. University of Taxila, though had lost its former glory due to Hun invasion, yet had maintained its standard. Technical and industrial education was imparted by the guilds. According to Manu there were two types of teachers- `acharya` and `upadhya`. The acharyas were entrusted with fundamental teachings of Vedas, Upanishads and Kalpasutra. The acharyas took their work as `work of charity` and refrained from taking fees from pupils. The Upadhyas took teaching as a profession and charged the pupils. Memorisation of subjects was regarded the best way to learn a thing. For scholarly education, study of Dharmashastras, Smriti, itihasa-puranas, heterodox scriptures, Naya Shastras etc. were included in the syllabus. For non-scholarly education, mathematics, science of warfare, astronomy, astrology and medicine were included. Education was generally permitted to the people belonging to the upper stratum of society. Brahmanas were eligible for all types of education, while the Kshatriyas and Sudras were eligible only for some items of learning. But the Sudras were deprived completely from any light of education. State grants were made to various institutions for the development of learning procedures.

Technical training like metallurgy, ivory and diamond cutting, goldsmithery, woodwork etc. were instructed by the guilds. The educational institutions imparting literary education had no contacts with them. Mathematics and astronomy was widely cultivated. The tremendous achievements of Varahamihir and Aryabhatta testify it. Excellence in metallurgy is proved by the Delhi Iron Pillar of King Chandra.

It has been suggested by historians that caste system and slavery was one of the chief features of the Gupta period. The law books distinguished between the Sudras and slaves and gave a higher place to the former. Rulebooks ascribed higher status to the Brahmins of the society. They were called twice born or `Dvija`. The Smritis had underlined the need of keeping purity of blood of the Brahmanas and treated the other Varnas as impure. The `panchaneas` or the fifth caste, which was outside the Varna system, was considered untouchable.

However in the Gupta period the rigidity of caste system was declined in comparison to the Maurya Age. Due to decentralisation of Gupta administration, the state did not enforce caste regulations rigidly. Inter-caste marriage and marriage with foreigners were permitted and widely in practice too. There was no objection in group eating of a higher caste man with a farmer, barber, milkman and Sudra family friends. Change of profession was in vogue. Therefore a guild of silk weavers if discovered that they were not being paid, could easily change their profession. Since the caste system was not rigid, people of one caste could easily adopt the profession of another caste. Farming became mostly the profession of the Sudras. Thus it is clear that though Varna system was a rigid form of caste system, yet it was not rigid during the Gupta period. According to historians the Varna system was rigid because there was influx of foreign races in the country. There was a separate residential area for separate castes prescribed in the social code. But in reality the caste system was not so rigid and change of profession had reduced the rigidity of caste distinction. The Guptas were mostly Vaishyas and they had appointed many Sudras in the infantry as soldiers, an occupation that was reserved for the Kshatriyas before. Generally the Brahmins and Kshatriyas enjoyed high esteem in the Gupta society. Slavery was highly in vogue during the Gupta era. According to Manu, there were different categories of slaves and were regarded properties of their masters. The masters enjoyed ownership over them by hereditary right. Dr. R.S. Sramana suggested the Gupta period as the "Vaishya-Sudra society", since these two castes had played the most important parts in the role of production. Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism were the prevailing forms of religion. Jainism and Saivism were popular in south India. Idol worship was extremely popular in Gupta society. Historians have opined that in spite of caste or Varna difference, Gupta civilization was peaceful and India had witnessed a thriving prosperity under them.