IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : India History From 8th to Mid 15th Century - Urbanisation,Urban Classes and Life-Style

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History India From 8th to Mid 15th Century

Urbanisation,Urban Classes and Life-Style

Structure

28.0 Objectives
28.1 Introduction
28.2 Approaches
28.3 Urban Landscape
28.3.1 Physical Configuration
28.3.2 Compositior, of Population (Urban Classes)
28.3.3 Urban Demography
28.4 Urban Life
28.4.1 Standard of Living
28.4.2 Social Life
28.4.3 Entertainment and Festivities
28.5 Let Us Sum Up
28.6 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

28.0 OBJECTIVES

The study of-urban history of medieval India is an important and equally fascinating
subject. After going through this unit you will :
have an idea of urbanisation in medieval India along with some of the most talked
about theories on urbanisation;
be able to list the general physical characteristics of medieval towns, and
discuss the various features of niedieval urban life in India.

28.1 INTRODUCTION

The urban history of Mughal India, despite being a subject of great importance, has
not received adequate attention by the scholars. That the subject has multifarious
facets is evident from the range of topics that possibly from its domain. The expansion
of urban centres, their actual size, urban economy and the society that an urban
centre seems to have, are some of the notable examples.
In this Unit we propose to introduce you to the urban history of Medieval India.
Besides the theoretical generality such as approaches to the problem of urbanisation,
we have mainly focussed on the description pertaining to the urban landscape and
life. It should be understood here that in this kind of problem-oriented study our
approach would mainly be decided by the type oi questions we attempt to answer.
You would thus find that the details of town life and society as well as their layout
given by us have emanated mainly from the way we have tackled the question of
urbanisation in Medieval India.