What Were The New Towns Like?

Coming Up of New Towns

• 18th cent. - Bombay, Madras and Calcutta -important ports - settlements - convenient to collect goods - Company built its factories - protection against competition - fortified

Bombay Fort

Fort William - Calcutta

Settlements• Indians having eco

dealing with Europeans – stay outside forts in own settlements – separate quarters – white town and black town – racial distinction sharp after British in political power

Industries

Industrial Cities• Only two industrial

cities – Kanpur – leather, woollen and cotton textiles – Jamshedpur – steel – India never modern industrialized country – discriminatory British policies – growth of large cities – no dramatic eco growth

THE URBAN AREA

Main Features

• Political power and patronage – Indian rulers to merchants of company – Indians working – imp role – eco activities near shore – docks and ghats – various offices – The Writers’ Building – European merchants and agents – palatial houses – garden houses in suburbs – racially exclusive clubs, theatre for ruling elite

Indians – The Rich and The Poor

• Indian agents and middlemen – traditional courtyard houses – near bazaars – future investments – parties to impress – temples – establish status – labourers – many services – makeshift huts – different parts of city

Civil Lines • After revolt – fear of rebellion – towns better defended –

secure and segregated – away from natives – pasturelands cleared – civil lines set up – cantt areas – separate from Indian towns – broad streets – garden bungalows – parade grounds – church – safe haven – model of ordered urban life – contrast to densely built Indian towns

Regulating The Black Town

• Symbolized chaos and anarchy – filth and disease – British earlier only interested in hygiene of ‘White’ areas – epidemics – need for sanitation and public health measures – fear – 1860-70s – stringent measures – underground piped water – sewerage and drainage system – sanitary vigilance – way of regulating Indian towns

Thank You Vidushi Chaterji

XII E