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Q.Highlight the significant variations observed in the patterns of urbanisation during nineteenth century in India.

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2019Subjective· 4mImportance★★★★★
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During the 19th century, Indian urbanisation saw a stark contrast between the decline of many pre-colonial cities and the rapid growth of new colonial administrative, commercial, and military centres.

India's urban landscape underwent a profound transformation during the 19th century, a period marked by the consolidation of British colonial rule. Prior to this, Indian cities had evolved organically over centuries, serving as vibrant centres of administration, religious pilgrimage, trade, and craft production under various indigenous rulers. However, the advent of British power fundamentally reshaped these patterns, leading to significant variations in urbanisation that saw some cities flourish while others withered.

The most striking variation was the decline of many pre-colonial urban centres, a process often termed de-urbanisation. Cities that had once been capitals of regional kingdoms or important trading hubs lost their prominence. This decline was multifaceted:

  • Shift in Administrative Power: With the defeat of local rulers, their capitals lost their administrative functions and the patronage that sustained their courts, artisans, and scholars. For instance, cities like Murshidabad, the capital of Bengal before the British takeover, saw a significant reduction in its status and population as Calcutta emerged as the new centre of power. Similarly, Seringapatam, Tipu Sultan's capital, declined after his defeat.
  • Economic Disruption: The British economic policies, which favoured the import of machine-made goods from Britain, severely impacted traditional Indian manufacturing centres. Artisans and craftsmen, who formed a substantial part of the urban workforce, found their livelihoods undermined, leading to a migration of people away from these cities.
  • Changes in Trade Routes: Old trading ports and inland commercial centres, such as Surat on the west coast or Machilipatnam on the Coromandel coast, declined as trade shifted to the new colonial ports established by the British.
Note

This decline was not uniform across all old cities, but it was a widespread phenomenon affecting many once-flourishing indigenous urban centres.

In stark contrast to this decline, the 19th century witnessed the rapid growth and emergence of new colonial cities, which served the administrative, commercial, and military interests of the British. These new urban centres developed along distinct lines:

  • Presidency Cities: Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras emerged as the most prominent new urban centres. Initially established as trading posts by the East India Company, they grew into major administrative hubs, commercial centres for the collection of raw materials and distribution of British manufactured goods, and industrial nodes. Their strategic coastal locations made them ideal ports for colonial trade, connecting India to the global British Empire.
  • Cantonment Towns: The British established numerous cantonments or military stations across India to house their troops and maintain law and order. These were purely military settlements, often distinct from civilian areas, with their own infrastructure and administration. Examples include Meerut, Ambala, and Barrackpore, which grew significantly due to their military importance. …
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