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
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