The Urban Development in India during the Mughal Times

Kapil Kumar

This article gives you information about the Urban Development in India during the Mughal  Times ! 

The third urbanization of India -began with the Turko-Afghans. The need for ruling over  provinces led to some Turko-Afghan officials and nobles being stationed in the various  provinces of the state. They were invariably associated with a few more Muslims belonging to  various ranks. 

The Iqta system enabled the Iqta-holders and the officials to possess large sums of money. Since  the Iqtas were not inheritable, the upper strata of these Turko- Afghans developed extravagant  habits and lived a life of luxury. This development naturally encouraged artisans to flock to these  new settlements which grew into towns. Commerce and trade resulting out of these  developments were noticed by the Sultans.Ala-ud- Din Khilji tried to squeeze the commercial  class. Mohd- bin-Tughluq tried to forge an alliance with them. And Firoz Tughlaq made nobility  hereditary. In general, the attitude of the state was neither helpful nor unhelpful to the emergence  of trade and commerce although the development of towns was inevitable. This trend grew in  importance in the Mughal period. 

About the urban development in India under the Mughals, we have a wealth of detailed data  from the large number of European visitors as also from indigenous sources. A large portion of  the subcontinent came under the Mughals and their public works encouraged trade and improved  the general lot of the common men.The emperors helped the growth of industry by maintaining  numerous factories for the manufacture of various articles, such as armaments, court equipment,  silks, carpets etc. For Akbar’s wardrobe as we learn from Abul Fazl, one thousand full suits were  prepared every season. Of precious metals, jewellery and other costly articles, there was a glut  with the higher classes as also in the markets of cities like Agra, Fatehpur Sikri, Delhi, Jannpur,  Ahmedabad, Burhanpur, Lahore and Murshidabad. 

Ralph Fitch visited Agra and Fatehpur Sikri in A.D. 1585 and found then to be larger than  London and very populous. The entire distance of twelve miles between them was a sort of  contiguous market, full of t victuals. Terry gives a similar description of Lahore, and Monserrate  regarded Burhanpur to be ‘very great, rich and full of people’. Reaching Sonargaon (Dacca) in  A.D. 1586, Fitch noted ‘the best and finest cloth made in India.

During the reigns of Shah Jahan and Aurangzeb, Delhi grew in importance and became the chief  city and emporium of trade and crafts. There were 120 cities and 3200 towns in Mughal period  which included administrative centers, trade and commercial places, coastal towns, ports and  religious as well as educational centers.The business houses carried on a very profitable trade,  having established relations with the European companies which had set up factories at Indian  Sea ports. We learn from the Italian traveler Manuccu that Surat was the largest port in India to  which ships came from all the countries of Europe, West Asia and China. Whenever a loaded  vessel arrived, the Hindu traders went aboard, and enquired whether the captain would sell the  entire cargo of the ship. 

They made payment either in cash or furnished goods in exchange. Other foreign visitors  described the large number of cargo ships which came to Surat, Cambay and other coastal towns.  They also referred to the various handicrafts, such as ivory bracelets for women.Great merchant  princes like Virji Vora of Surat (17th century), Santidasa Jawahari of Ahmedabad, Haji said Beg  (17th century), Manohardasa (A.D. 1630). Malay Chetty of the East coast and a host of others  were famous as financiers, exporters and importers. Many of them had ships of their own and  often lent large sums of money to the Mughal princes. 

Trade and commerce promoted the development of urban centers. Agra, Patna, Allahabad, Tatta,  Jammu, Ajmer, Khandesh, Coromandel and Kanniyakumari were great centers of commercial  activities. Abul Fazl wrote that Kabul and Kandhar were the twin gates of Hindustan, the one  leading to Turkistan and the other to Persia. The caravans for these places and beyond were  made up in Lahore and Multan, which were great marts partly for this reason. Goa, Calicut,  Kochin, Masulipatam, Pulicut, Nagappattinam, Satgaon and Sripur served the purpose of sea borne trade. Chittagong was a base for pirates and was more closely associated with Arakan than  with Bengal. 

The coming of European companies played a great role in the development of urban centres  during Mughal times.Medieval India had a large class of professional moneylenders, known as  Sahukars, Mahajans and Sarrafs. They engaged in money-lending of all types, from usurious  loans to the discounting of hundis. Urban centres were known for industrial activities. 

The smith’s craft in gold, silver, bronze, iron, copper and many alloys was highly developed.  Besides ornaments, the craftsmen produced agricultural implements, weapons of war, domestic  utensils and bronze, silver and copper statues of gods and goddesses, in large quantities. The  ordinary weavers (Julahas) formed the largest group among the artisans.The muslin of Dacca  enjoyed a high reputation for its fine texture and light weight. Fine cloth of many varieties was  also produced at Varanasi, Mau, Agra, Malwa and Gujarat. Silk fabrics woven at Ahmedabad  enjoyed a high reputation. Abul Fazl also notices the silk-weaving industry of Lahore, Agra and  Fatehpur Sikri.

 Bhartiya Bhasha, Shiksha, Sahitya evam Shodh   www. bhartiyashodh.com Page 14 

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