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The mediaeval Period in India was the period that lasted from the 8th Century to the 18th Century. The beginning of the Mughal empire marks the end of the mediaeval Period in India. However, the evolution and establishment of several towns and cities in India were witnessed in the late mediaeval Period, i.e., from the 13th Century to the 18th Century. The later mediaeval Period has seen the rise, growth and decline of various landmark towns, which changed or could have changed the power dominance in the country. The most significant towns during the mediaeval Period in India were Thanjavur, Vijayanagar, Calicut, Agra, Cochin, Bijapur, Fatehpur Sikri, Lahore, Patna, Shahjahanabad (Delhi), Madurai, Hampi, Surat, Somnath, Kanchipuram, Ajmer and Masulipattanam. However, many more towns had their relevance as Administrative centres, Pilgrimage centres and Temple Towns.
THE ADMINISTRATIVE CENTRES
An Administrative Centre was the town or a place from where all the Central Administration tasks were managed. In mediaeval India, Thanjavur, established near the river Kaveri, was the Administrative Centre. Thanjavur was also the capital of the Chola Dynasty.
Thanjavur was not merely an Administrative Centre, but it was also a temple town & a pilgrimage centre. The famous Rajrajeshwara Temple, which was built by King Rajaraja Chola, was situated at Thanjavur. Further, Thanjavur consisted of pavilions that were used by the King to hold courts and barracks for the army. The premium weavers of towns Thanjavur and Uraiyur, usually known as the Saliya Weavers, were chief contributors to the production of cloth in the Chola dynasty. The cloth for flags of temples, premium cotton clothes for the Kings and coarse cotton clothes for the subjects all were prepared by the Saliya weavers.
Another town in close vicinity of Thanjavur, known as Svamimalai, was home to the Sthapatis, i.e., the Sculptors. The Sthapatis used to make the iconic bronze idols, bells and ornaments. The bronze statues and bell metal lamps in the Chola Dynasty were made up using the Lost Wax Technique, i.e., using molten wax and clay.
Thanjavur was considered a great town as it was also a trading centre for spices, grains, clothes and jewellery. The town controlled all the bureaucratic, administrative and economic activities of the Chola Dynasty. The main sources of water supply for the Administrative Centre were tanks and wells. The administrative centre was responsible for providing a trade network of different artistry products from small to big towns.
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TEMPLE TOWNS
Thanjavur was not the only temple town of mediaeval India; there were many other temple towns such as Bhillasvamin, Somnath, Kanchipuram, Madurai, etc. Temples were built in the towns by their respective rulers or Kings to showcase their devotion, faith and belief in a particular deity. They also used to provide the temples with lands, grants and funds to carry out day-to-day religious practises, perform rituals and celebrate festivals.
The temples had significant financial relevance for the central economy and the development of society. The temples were granted funds from the rulers directly, and a huge amount of money was accumulated in the temples through donations by several devotees and pilgrims. That money was used by the temple authorities to carry out trade and bank-related activities. The scope of financial growth was witnessed by numerous priests, craftsmen, artists, traders and workers, due to which they started to settle down near the temples. This led to the evolution and growth of the temple towns. The temple towns were the representatives of modernization and development of the entire dynasty or kingdom. It exhibited prosperity, comfort and opulence of the people of the dynasty.
PILGRIMAGE CENTRES
The towns of mediaeval India also witnessed the evolution and growth of Pilgrimage centres. The most well-known pilgrimage centres of mediaeval India were Vrindavan, Tiruvannamalai and Ajmer.
Ajmer town was one of the most exceptional examples of religious co-existence. At first, it was used to be the capital of the Chauhan Dynasty, and later, it became the capital of the Mughal Dynasty. The famous Sufi Saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, who chose to settle down at Ajmer, had played a major role in attracting devotees of all religions and sects to his learning, thus increasing the pilgrim relevance of Ajmer. Close to Ajmer was a lake called Pushkar, which also captivated a huge number of pilgrims.
SOME OTHER TOWNS OF MEDIAEVAL INDIA
Hampi: It was the Headquarters of the Vijayanagar Empire. Situated at the Krishna-Tungabhadra Basin, Hampi used to be the busiest trade and artistic centre during the 15th & 16th centuries. It was embraced with rich sculptures, architecture and domes and was known for its ever-growing cultural and religious activities.
Surat: During the 17th century, Surat was a hub of western trade and pilgrim checkpoint for Mecca. It was an emporium of textiles and home to many foreign factories and warehouses. Furthermore, it lost its worth after the Portuguese took control of its sea routes.
Masulipatnam: It was the chief trade centre for the Dutch Textile traders during the mediaeval period and had a rich export trade of textiles, spices and artistry. During the 17th century, Masulipatnam was captured by the Mughal, due to which the Dutch and English traders started moving to Bombay, Madras and Calcutta seeking better trade opportunities, which led to the decline of the trade monopolistic empire of Masulipatnam.
CONCLUSION
Mediaeval India witnessed the rise and decline of several towns. Most of the towns were categorised into Administrative Centre, Temple Towns and Pilgrimage Towns as per their geographical, social, cultural and economic conditions. Most of the important towns of mediaeval India are situated in present-day South India, and the morphological differences between the towns of present-day North, East and West India turned out to be their declining factor. However, after understanding the towns and cities set up in mediaeval India, it can be concluded that India was one of the most progressive and modernised areas then.
