Authors :
Jyoti Bisht
Volume/Issue :
Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 1 - January
Google Scholar :
https://tinyurl.com/y6wy8bwf
Scribd :
https://tinyurl.com/ym89vxhs
DOI :
https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jan046
Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.
Abstract :
Urbanization in India can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization, with cities such as Mohenjo-daro and
Harappa representing the earliest examples of urban life. This initial phase was characterized by planned settlements, craft
production, trade networks, social stratification, and administrative organization. A second phase of urbanization emerged
around the sixth century BCE during the Later Vedic, Mauryan, and post-Mauryan periods, when cities such as Hastinapur,
Shravasti, Rajgriha, Ujjain, and Mathura flourished. Janapadas and Mahajanapadas played a crucial role in this
development.In other side urbanization in south india represent a distinctive pattern shaped by temple institutions,agrarian
expansion and long-distance trade networks.
During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, medieval India witnessed a renewed expansion of urban economic
structures. Political centralization,monetization of the economy, and the expansion of road and communication networks
accelerated urban growth. Although early initiatives were undertaken by rulers such as Sher Shah Suri and Sikandar Lodi,
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries marked a significant expansion of trade, commerce, and transportation.
Contemporary accounts, including those of Tavernier, highlight the widespread presence of monetary transactions even in
rural areas. The Turkish and Mughal empires were inherently urban-oriented, and the growth of administrative institutions,
markets, and crafts contributed significantly to urban expansion. This paper examines the nature, process, and impact of
urbanization in medieval India, highlighting its economic, social, and cultural dimensions.
Keywords :
Urbanization; Crafts; Handicrafts; Trade; Caravanserai; Revenue Administration; Dynamic Cities; Social Heterogeneity.
References :
- Habib, I. (1981). Historical Review. Oxford, University, Press.
- Chakrabarti, D. K. (1981). Ancient India: History and Culture. Oxford University, Press.
- Subrahmanyam, T. K. P. (1993). Medieval India. Orient Blackswan.
- Verma, H. C. (1993). Medieval India (Vols.1–2). Orient, Longman.
- Chandra, S. (1997). Medieval India: Politics, Society and Culture. Orient Blackswan.
- Bernier, F. (1916). Travels in the Mughal Empire (A.D. 1656–1668). Oxford, University, Press.
- Blake, S. (1991). Shahjahanabad: The Sovereign City in Mughal India, 1639–1739. Cambridge University, Press.
- Sridhar, Seetharam, kala.2016, ADBI working paper 607, Tokyo, (Cost and Benefits of Urbanization: The India Case,2016.
- Census Of India,2011.
Urbanization in India can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilization, with cities such as Mohenjo-daro and
Harappa representing the earliest examples of urban life. This initial phase was characterized by planned settlements, craft
production, trade networks, social stratification, and administrative organization. A second phase of urbanization emerged
around the sixth century BCE during the Later Vedic, Mauryan, and post-Mauryan periods, when cities such as Hastinapur,
Shravasti, Rajgriha, Ujjain, and Mathura flourished. Janapadas and Mahajanapadas played a crucial role in this
development.In other side urbanization in south india represent a distinctive pattern shaped by temple institutions,agrarian
expansion and long-distance trade networks.
During the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, medieval India witnessed a renewed expansion of urban economic
structures. Political centralization,monetization of the economy, and the expansion of road and communication networks
accelerated urban growth. Although early initiatives were undertaken by rulers such as Sher Shah Suri and Sikandar Lodi,
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries marked a significant expansion of trade, commerce, and transportation.
Contemporary accounts, including those of Tavernier, highlight the widespread presence of monetary transactions even in
rural areas. The Turkish and Mughal empires were inherently urban-oriented, and the growth of administrative institutions,
markets, and crafts contributed significantly to urban expansion. This paper examines the nature, process, and impact of
urbanization in medieval India, highlighting its economic, social, and cultural dimensions.
Keywords :
Urbanization; Crafts; Handicrafts; Trade; Caravanserai; Revenue Administration; Dynamic Cities; Social Heterogeneity.
