There is sufficient evidence in the Rig-Veda that the FOUR TRADITIONAL CASTES namely, the Brahmins, the Vysyas, the Kshatriyas, and the Sudras were the professional functions or four main classifications of occupations, which were practiced in each family. 

Thus Brahmins were the Teachers and  the religious functionaries. Kshatriyas were the administrators, law and order enforcing responsibility, defense of the community and the country etc. The Vysyas were engaged in exclusive economic activity of barter trade, imports and exports, supplies and sales of consumer items etc. The Sudras were the producers of all kinds of wealth such as food grains, clothing, housing materials, equipment and tools for various functions such as transport, military, agriculture etc. Thus the RIG VEDA refers to the mother as doing menial assistance in the neighborhood to supplement income, father doing business in seasons, brother engaged in the affairs of the state in peace and participating as a warier in war times. 

The author of this chapter a woman, describes herself as one who teaches the children in the area, and does religious work of ceremonies and performance of marriages etc. Thus caste originated with the concept of functional specialization in occupations and later degenerated with the evolution of money economy and influx of more and more foreigners in to India. Originally there were no restrictions in inter marriages and inter dining practices. Later due to acceptance of foreigners, tribals and mixture of two major streams of cultures like Aryan and Dravidians, the exclusive mentality arising out of defensive mechanism led to all sorts of restrictions including the evil practice of UNTOUCHABILITY.

As there are references to eight types of marriages in the Vedas, and reference to twelve types of children the Kautilya’s Artha sastra, it a liberal society till it became rigid only on the eve of Muslim invasions. Note: All children referred above had equal property and other rights in the family.