Ahmedabad: A Study in Indian Urban History

Abstract

CHAPTER I Olt> AVimefcAbafcTraditional India, under both Hindu and Muslim rulers, was a land of great cities.Despite a persistent anti-urban tone to some of its literature, Hindu civilization had its highest institutional expression in the cities, where many castes met and its "great tradition" was elaborated and refined.The Hindus had elaborate and comprehensive theories of city planning, while the urban bias of Islam, both in W est Asia and in India, has often been remarked by scholars.There were many reasons for the existence of Indian cities: there were capitals, ports, and emporia, centres of handicraft pro duction, pilgrim, temple, and monastery cities, educational centres, and garrison cities.1 Many had more than one function, ^o r Gujarat, see Altekar, "History of Important Ancient Towns," Majmudar, Cultural History of Gujarat, Deshpande, "Cities and Towns of Bombay Province," and Pocock, "Sociologies: Urban and Rural" (III).OLD AHMEDABAD *3and Cloaths, that that court is attended by above thirty five thousand Horse, and ten or twelve thousand Foot, which may be called an Army, and that every soldier hath his Wife, Children and Servants, who for the most part are married also, and have a great many children as well as their masters.If to these we add all the drudges and rascally people which courts and Armies commonly draw after them, and then the great number of Merchants and other Trading People, who are obliged to stick to them, because in that country there is no Trade nor Money to be got but at Court.When I say, we consider Dehly void of all those I have men tioned, and of many more still, it will easily be believed, that that Town is no great matter when the King is not there; and if there have been four hundred thousand Men in it when he was there, there hardly remains the sixth part in his absence.

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