Urbanisation in Mughal India
Topic: Mughal Agrarian Society and Economy · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 1 "Through the Eyes of Travellers"
Meaning
In the 17th century, about 15 per cent of India's people lived in towns. On average, this was more than in Western Europe at the time. Mughal India had many kinds of towns: manufacturing towns, trading towns, port towns, and sacred or pilgrimage centres. Their growth points to rich merchant and professional classes. Still, most people, about 85 per cent, lived in villages.
Example
In the 17th century, Surat was a busy port and Agra was an imperial capital and trading city. Both drew merchants, craftspeople and professionals.
Don't confuse with
- Bernier's "camp towns": the French traveller Bernier called Mughal cities "camp towns" that lived only on the court. This view leaves out the many towns that grew through trade, crafts and pilgrimage.
Related concepts
- Flow of silver into India
- Silver rupya
- Hundi
- Banjaras
- Mahajan
- Nagarsheth
- Urban professional classes
- Manzil-abadi
- Sipah-abadi
- Mulk-abadi