RadIcal City

What is a city? [By Sohail Hashmi]

What is a city? Is city a dense population I in a defined area? Is it a place of trade and
transportation? How is it different from a village or a town?

A lot of things made scholars more curious to think about this. Different definitions of a city
exists depending on the demography of a city, some depend on the civil administration, center
of production, center of political power or urban settlement history. A city can be all these and it
is more than this, like migration, exchange of culture, exchange of economic and it can be a
urban place with different technologies.

Taking an example, Delhi

Delhi a site of 7 cities Lal Kot, Siri, Tughlaqabad, Jahanpanah, Ferozabad, Deenpanah or
Shergadh, and Shahjahanabad. The extended part is called as New Delhi.

Lal kot the first capital of Jal ul uddin Khalji and Slave kings, which was followed by Siri, the new
capital by Ala uddin Khalji. It was established as fortified town and now it became a part of Siri
fort auditorium and Shahpur Jat. It was built to settle Khilji army at one place for ease of things
like aid and quick moment against the enemies [Mongols]

Ghazi Malik built the 3rd capital Tughlaqabad, in past he was the Khilji governor of Punjab and
took the title of Ghyas uddin Tughlaq. Son of Ghyas uddin Tuglaq built the 4th capital
Jahanpanah and his cousin Mohammad Tuglaq built a new capital that is Ferozabad.

Amir Temur looted Delhi 1398, and between 1398 to 1451 three rulers ruled this kingdom. From
1451 to 1489 Bahlol Lodhi ruled the kingdom and finally the throne was took over by Sikandar
Lodi, and his son Ibrahim Lodi ruled Agra since Sikandar Lodhi moved his capital to Agra.

Later he was defeated by Babur and Agra was ruled by Babur and his son. Babur’s son
Humayun brought the capital back to Delhi and built 6th capital Deenpanah.

But in 1556 Humayan’s son Akabr brought the capital back to Agra in 1556. Akbar’s grandson
Shahjahan brought it back to Delhi 1684 and build his capital Shahjahanabad the 7th capital
which remained till 1857 then later after British took over they made Calcutta as the capital in
1912.

Lal Kot and Shahjahanabad were the only capitals which lasted for long. The other 5 capitals
had a short time. If the ruler died then it didn’t remain as capital.

Time line of 07 Capitals

Lal Kot and Shahjahanabad

Lal Kot covered severl aspects to be considered as city. It was not situated in a remote place, it
had a Iron Pillar which was a sign of victory and also acted a landmark, construction of various
structures like Alai Darwaza, Alai Minar, repairs of Haus e Shasmi, due to which there was a
exchange of goods and trade was active at that place.

Different materials and technologies were used while construction like rubble masanory, mixture
of slaked lime and crushed bricks.

In late 13th century Arch and domes were introduced and slowly architecture was transformed.
Indian slowly learned the names of construction tools used by Persian and Turkish artisans.
Those language were heard in streets eventually.

People from different parts of the world like Turks, Persians, Uzbegs, Tajiks, Pathans,
Moroccans, Ethiopians, Arabs, Armenians and others came started to visit this place for trade
and employment. There was also exchange of culture and tradition of different places in Lal Kot.

Techniques like agriculture in Semi arid like Delhi were introduced and Paper and ceramic
glazing art from China was also brought by the travellers. New construction techniques and
evolution of forms was started in Lal Kot, new music and weaving was also brought.

A large number of workshops were constructed in Lal Kot to produce robe. And many new
clothes were introduced like Kurta, kameez, Salwar, Jhubba etc. All the artisans from different
places, languages, religions, casts started to exchange the techniques and ideas to learn from
each other. Slowly Lal Kot developed into urban cosmopolitanism. The continuation of the
settlement and the activities promoted it to the area to develop as a city.

Sufi’s a whole different group of people and culture aided the city to develop. shrine of Khwaja
Qutub-udDin Bakhtyaar Kaaki and Temple of Jog Maya is still celebrated showing the
importance of Lal Kot. Since the presence of Sufi many devotee from different places came to
Lal Kot. A new language and new crafts came with Sufis. Sufis were reinforced by large number
of traders and travellers so were they by Sufis.

Bakhtyaar Kaaki was the first Chisti who settled in Delhi and from him music was encouraged
and all types of faiths and beliefs were welcomed. Due to devotees of Sufis there was a
development in facilities for the travellers like accommodation, food, shops resulting in mixed
population.

City does not have a native population area. The migration is what makes a city. If a place is
segregated with population and its residents then it won’t be called as cosmopolitan.

If we remove all the migrants from Lal Kot or any city then it will be just with the natives which
does not act as a city rather it will be called as a village. The process of migration is not going to
end, only urban strategies can help to control and have a planned city.

Shahjahanabad

Building of Shahjahanabad was started in 1639 and was inaugurated in 1648. And the
procedure this place followed to become as a city was different from Lal Kot. Initially this place
was just a small settlement and there was a fort Palace which was surrounded by residents and
commercial streets. In this place a whole culture was brought from Agra with huge population.
Meer and Ghalib were born in Agra but settled in Delhi who are the famous poets of Delhi.

Few parts of the city developed according to the activities that happened in the houses like
commercial activities [small scale industries] and names of localities were based accordingly.
Localities had different types of activites like paper shops, dry fruits shops, wedding cards
shops, kitchen wares, pickles etc.

When Akbar made capital in Agra he came up with a project of translation of languages,
Sanskrit into Persian, Persian into Barj. The language of Delhi was also used in Gujarat,
Maharashatra.

Shahjahan made scholars to translate all old documents in Persian which were in Sanskrit.
Many different people were involved in this like Kashmiri pandits, Kayasths, Khatris, Sindhis,
Multanis and others. Traders from Afghanistan used to come during winter to trade dry fruits.
Shahjahanabad welcomed Calligraphy, crafts men and poets. Writers from French use to write
about the city [Shahjahanabad], the people, about the empire which helped the Europeans
understand the life and tradition of Sufis and the city.

One of the major development was also the evolution of Urdu, started in Delhi in 13th century.
This city had its own identity, its has its own cuisine, literary, language and taste in music, its
crafts, markets and educational institutions. The famous institutions was Madrasa Ghai uddin
Haidar which continued for 327 years.

This is how these two capitals became cities where as New Delhi is a part of extension which is
not a city. The residences of Shahjahanabad go to New Delhi and works and return back to the
city. Specific job holders are permanent residence New Delhi like cooks, Gardeners , drivers
and other household staff of the ministers and armed forces. New Delhi has no whole sale
market and does not produce anything.
Smart cities are planned today but are they really smart cities? Do they serve the people as
required or its just sealed compartments where people come work and leave.