URBAN DESIGN OF INDIAN MEDIEVAL

CITIES & COLONIAL URBANISM

URBAN DESIGN
CONTENTS:
MEDIEVAL CITIES IN INDIA
• Introduction
• Religious influence
• Military influence
• City palnning: SHILPASHASTRA
• Forts and Defence system
• City Planning example- Varnasi

COLONNIAL URBANISM
• Introduction
• Timeline
• Case study: Madrasapattinam
MEDIEVAL CITIES IN INDIA
•  The medieval era in the Indian history begins from the decline of Vedic era in the end of
6th century until 12th century.
• During the period, a large number of kingdoms flourished in the region. Great cities
were developed and prospered.
• Religion, military & politics formed the basis of city planning.
• The Mauryan and Gupta dynasty in the north, Cholas and Pandyvas in the south, Aghom
dynasty of Assam are some dynasties that thrieved during this era.
Religious influence:
• The Indian peninsular region majorly followed Hinduism, until the spread of
Buddhism and Jainism and onset of Islam.
• Under the patronage of kings, a lot of great temples were built which lead to the
development of very particular temple styles and other architectural features in
every region.
• The temple and other religious building held an important place in their cities.

Military influence:
• During this period, there was constatnt threats from neighbouring regions, this
lead to extensive measures for security.
• It was during this time, that the concept of fortification and defense city walls
was used widely.
• Great scholar from vedic era and kautilya has provided detailed guide lines for
designing.
CITY PLANNING: SHILPASHASTRA

• The vedic era bestowed the world with vastushastra which formed the basis for
design and construction for centuries.
• All the medivial cities followed certain parts from it and Kautilya later
formulated detailed regulations for defense purpose.
• The roads were generally irregular and narrow in the residential region, while the
major roads used by kings were wider.
• The cities were not made on a regular pattern to create a maze like plan for
defense purposes. Roads generally radiated from a religious place or market
place.

• The RESIDENTIAL PATTERN observed strict hierarchy in terms of distance

from the royal fort situated on a mound. They developed along side or along the
contours.
The royal citadel must have a council hall in the center.
It must be surrounded by a number of secondary fortification
walls and moats.
The military should be stationed within the fortress as a precaution against
any invasion.
Residential quarters should be located towards the north
• The Silpasasthras refer to four distinct categories of habitation settlements within the
forts and fortified cities .
• The earlier Silpasasthras do not put more emphasis upon the secular architecture ,
large artificial tanks are also located in all directions. Some times the step wells are
provided in alignment with the fortification walls .
• The palaces were provided with guard rooms at various strategic points for guards,
equipped with arms, weapons, and well–defended by machinery.
• Common residential houses, houses of Kings, special housesassembly halls and
council chambers, animal- sheds and stables, for cows, horses, and elephants.
• Prasad's or temples may be classed as extra –ordinary houses as residences for Gods
together with their accessory building for worship, ritual, shelter, and the ceremonies
of a religious. Samaranganasutradhara; literally means an ―architect of human
dwellings.
FORTS AND DEFENCE SYSTEM

Kautilya in his Arthasasthra has described a number of forts to be raised on certain

places in different localities namely Sthaniya, Dronamukha, Kharvatika,
Sangarahana etc.

On all the four cardinal directions of the boundaries of the kingdom, defensive
fortifications against an enemy in war was constructed on grounds naturally best
suited for the purpose.

• A water fortification , such as an island in the midst of a river, or a plain

surrounded by low ground.
• A mountainous fortification (parvata) such as a rocky tract or a cave.
• A desert fortification(dhanavana) such as a wild tract devoid of water and
overgrown with thicket growing in barren soil.
• Or a forest fortification (vanadurga) full of wagtail (khajana) water and
thickets.
These water and mountain fortifications are best suited to defend populous centers
and desert and forest fortifications are habitations in wilderness (atavisthanam).

Ancient literary works prescribed the rules for laying foundations of the forts and
their different essential components and planning.

Architecturally, the fortifications consist of five components as propounded by the

Silpasasthras

1. The Vapra, the built up artificial mound

2. The Parika or a moat with glacis
3. The Prakara or Sala or the fortification wall which is encircled by a Parika
4. The Attalakas (the bastions) provided along the Prakaras.
5. The entrance gates, the Gopura or Pratoli.
VARNASI

INTRODUCTION

• Varanasi is one of the oldest living cities in

the world, with a continuous history dating
back 3,000 to 5,000 years.
• It is often referred as "the city of temples",
"the holy city of India", "the religious capital
of India", "the city of lights", "the city of
learning", and "the oldest living city on earth.
It is a symbol of Hindu renaissance.
• The name Varanasi names the two tributaries
of the Ganga that lie on the northern and
southern ends of the town, the Varuna and the
Asi.
• They guard the city against the entry of evil:
Asi = the sword; Varuna = the averter.
CITY PLANNING

• The city of Varanasi has grown along the arc of the Ganges, with the river as a
focal point in one direction and growth of the city taking place in a semi-circular
direction.
• From the nature of the bend of the ganga it is obvious that the minimum river
erosion would be in the northern zone of the Dasaswamedh and as such, the first
settlement must have been in that area.
• However, as the settlements grew larger in size and number, the expansion of the
city proceeded southwards at first and then west .
• The city has a radial taking and south-westwards, development pattern with
areas like Benaras Hindu University, Manduadih, Sheopur and Sarnath emerging
as new advantage of tanks and growth centers drained sites which relatively
better in all directions.
• Varanasi comprises the old city area, central area and new area.
EVOLUTION

• Architecture in the old city area dates back to just after the Afghan invasion.
• During the Gupta period (3rd to 6th century), the Ghats became the centre of
economic and cultural activities.
• By the 17th century the riverfront landscape (Ghats) became prominent in the
overall arena of Varanasi.
• The palatial buildings along the Ghats were built under the patronage of the
Marathas during the 18th-19th centuries.
• Even in 19th-20th centuries, many Ghats were reconstructed, renamed and
reshaped.
OLD CITY

• The old city of Varanasi extends about two kilometers back from the river and is
a maze of alleyways and streets.
• The Muslim quarter, most of the temples, mosques, ashrams, t he vegetable
shops and budget accommodation can be found here.
• The riverfront of Ganga comprises of a series of 84 Ghats as a special chain of
sacred places. Ghats bear testimony to the uniqueness of Ghat Architecture,
mosaic of different cultures.

NEW ERA

• The central and new area is home to banks,cinemas,administration, train station

and the densely .
• The old city is world famous Banaras Hindu University (BHU).

CANTONEMNET
The British stayed in an area, which is now called the Cantonment.
DEVELOPMENT PATTERN:
Over a period of time, with the inclusion of a large number of villages and urban
settlements, the city's development has resulted in irregularly shaped built-up areas
along peripheries of the central areas of the city.
CHANGE OF LAND USE:

DASASHWAMEDH GHAT
• Godavari stream was filled up, acts as the main approach road to Dasaswamedh
ghat.
• Dasaswamedh provides a beautiful and colorful riverfront view and sadhus.
• Today in that area there lies an incomplete commercial complex and the area is
used for parking of bicycles.
• The vegetable market is still there and it has now taken the place on the road. The
skyline of the ghat area has drastically changed.
• Sewerage pumping stations have come up.

MANIKARNIKA GHAT
Manikarnika Ghat is the main cremation Ghat of Varanasi.
•It is one of the oldest and most sacred Ghats here.
•It symbolizes both creation and destruction.

ASSI GHAT
•Situated at the confluence of Ganga and Assi rivers, Assi Ghat is where people
bathe before paying their homage to Lord Shiva.
•Asi Ghat also constitutes the southern end of conventional city.
GROWTH PATTERN:

The green spaces are reduced considerately

because of:
• New construction over them
• The trees have fallen due to aging and no
new plantation has been done.
• Built open spaces.
• Due to high economic pressures the city’s
open spaces are reduced considerable.

Permeability to the city has reduced, either

the street is closed or the street width has
reduced which has led to:
• Lack of open space
• Unhygienic condition
• Improper drainage
• Increase of pressure on primary routes
HIERARCHY OF STREETS:

• The streets have a hierarchy of movement pattern with the ones leading to the
Ghats and the main vehicular street being the most important ones with the
maximum pedestrian traffic.
• The streets are therefore of varying widths, the most important ones being the
widest and straighter and the less important ones being for lesser width and more
zigzag in nature.
• During early period Varanasi was typical of an oriental city.
• The streets were not wide enough for wheeled carriage particularly in the densely
settled residential areas.
RESIDENCES

• About one-third of the houses were pakka either built of chunar stone or bricks.
• Majority of the pakka houses were lofty with two or three stories and several of
them were as high as five or six stories.
• They were richly embellished with verandahs, galleries, projecting oriel
windows and very broad and overhanging eaves supported by carved brackets.
• The walls of the houses were richly painted in deep red colour with designs of
flower-pots, men and women, bulls, elephants, and gods and goddesses in various
forms.
INFERENCE

Urbanization refers to the process of increse of population living in urban areas

as compared to people living in rural areas. It is a process of emergence of new
towns and cities and expansion of existing cities.
Towards the end of Gupta Empire by late 5th century, India witnessed de-
urbanization or ruralization. People moved from urban areas to rural
areas. Importance of agriculture increased and new land was brought under
cultivation.
Then, later during medieval period only ,The cities were planned with a view to
providing high-quality civic amenities to the elites linked to the ruling class or those
who could afford high prices. The segmented structure of the cities ensured that the
service class lived nearby but did not overburden the infrastructure of the core areas.
Thus Medieval period paved a way for the proper city development in India and saw
many revolution in building sustems.
COLONIAL
URBANISM
Colonial Cities Urbanization, Planning and Architecture

• By the middle of the nineteenth century the seltlements like Madras (Chennai),
Calcutta (Kolkata) and Bombay (Mumbai) had become big cities from where the
new rulers controlled the country.
• Institutions were set up to regulate economic activity and demonstrate the authority
of the new rulers. Indians experienced political domination in new ways in these
cities.
• The layouts of Madras, Bombay and Calcutta were quite different from older Indian
towns, and the buildings that were built in these cities bore the marks of their colonial
origin.
TIMELINE
1500-1700 European trading companies establish bases in India: the Portuguese in Panaji in
1510; the Dutch in Masulipatnam, 1605; the British in Madras in 1639, in Bombay in
1661, and in Calcutta in 1690; the French in Pondicherry in 1673

1757 Decisive victory of the British in the Battle of Plassey; the British become rulers of
Bengal
1773 Supreme Court set up in Calcutta by the East India Company
1784 Asiatic Society founded by Sir William Jones
1793 Cornwallis Code enacted
1803 Lord Wellesley’s Minute on Calcutta town improvement
1818 British takeover of the Deccan; Bombay becomes the capital of the new province

1853 Railway from Bombay to Thane

1857 First spinning and weaving mill in Bombay
1857 Universities in Bombay, Madras and Calcutta
1870s Beginning of elected representatives in municipalities
1881 Madras harbour completed
1896 First screening of a film at Watson’s Hotel, Bombay
1896 Plague starts spreading to major cities
1911 Transfer of capital from Calcutta to Delhi
MADRASPATNAM

• In 1639 they constructed a trading post in Madraspatam. This settlement was locally
known as Chenapattanam.
• With the defeat of the French in 1761, Madras became more secure and began to grow
into an important commercial town.
• It was here that the superiority of the British and the subordinate position of the Indian
merchants was most apparent.
• Fort St George became the nucleus of the White Town where most of the Europeans
lived. Walls and bastions made this a distinct enclave.
• Colour and religion determined who was allowed to live within the Fort. The Company
did not permit any marriages with Indians.
• Other than the English, the Dutch and Portuguese were allowed to stay here because
they were European and Christian

A map of Madras The White Town around

Fort St George is on the left, and the Old
Black Town is on the right. Fort St George
is marked with a circle. Notice how the
Black Town was laid out.
• The Black Town developed outside the Fort. It was laid out in straight lines, a
characteristic of colonial towns. It was, however, demolished in the mid-1700s and the
area was cleared for a security zone around the Fort.
• A new Black Town developed further to the north. This housed weavers, artisans,
middlemen and interpreters who played a vital role in the Company trade.

• The new Black Town

resembled traditional
Indian towns, with
living quarters built
around its own temple
and bazaar.

Part of the Black Town, Madras, by Thomas and William Daniell, based on a drawing by Daniell
published in Oriental Scenery, 1798 The old Black Town was demolished to create the open space you
see in this picture. Originally cleared as a line of fire, the open ground was later maintained as a green
area. On the horizon you can see part of the new Black Town that came up at a distance from the Fort.
• Madras developed by incorporating innumerable surrounding villages and by creating
opportunities and spaces for a variety of communities.
• Initially jobs with the Company were monopolised by the Vellalars, a rural caste who
took advantage of the new opportunities provided by British rule.
• The Nawab of Arcot settled in nearby Triplicane which became the nucleus of a
substantial Muslim settlement.
• Mylapore and Triplicane were earlier Hindu religious centres that supported a large
group of Brahmins.
• San Thome with its cathedral was the centre for Roman Catholics. All these
settlements became part of Madras city.
• Thus the incorporation of many villages made Madras a city of wide expanse and low
density. This was noticed by European travellers and commented on by officials.

A garden house on Poonamalee Road

INFERENCE

• In India, colonial power was based on a extensive deployment of these paper

based information systems for routine policing as well as managing migrants,
epidemics, and cross border movements.

• Hence, the establishment of the British rule brought fundamental economic

transition in India, transforming agriculture from subsistence to commercial with
the introduction of cultivation of variety of new crops such as tobacco,
groundnuts, indigo, jute, tea, coffee etc. and gradual mechanised industrialization
of the economy.

• The development of transport and foreign trade was the ultimate result of such
economic transition which paved the way for new systems in urbanisation in
India.9 Thus the process of urbanisation and creation of cities in colonial India
can be described as a breaking of the continuum.
REFERENCE

https://
www.worldwidejournals.com/paripex/recent_issues_pdf/2014/February/February_20
14_1392717872_0c336_41.pdf

https://
www.reading.ac.uk/economic-history/ceh-research-medieval-urbanization.aspx

https://www.slideshare.net/victorjmarin/medieval-cities-43579062

https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/lehs303.pdf
THANK