Urbanization and Deurbanization in Colonial India

The primary types of urban centres were ports, planned cities, and hill stations.

Madras and Calcutta were two major ports established by European colonists.

New Delhi was significant as it was built to serve as the new capital of British India due to its central location.

<p>Hill stations were developed as retreats for the British to escape the heat of the plains during summer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Indians generally lived in crowded and unhygienic conditions, while the British enjoyed spacious bungalows with excellent civic amenities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The British created municipalities to introduce an effective system of urban administration as cities grew.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>New urban centres featured broad roads and large public buildings like government offices.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Deurbanisation refers to the process of people moving from urban areas back to rural regions, often due to economic decline.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Migration from rural areas and older urban centres contributed to the growth and significance of new urban centres.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Industrial Revolution created a demand for raw materials, leading Indian farmers to prioritize cotton over food crops and causing economic distress.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>British policies abolished duties on raw cotton imports while imposing high taxes on Indian textiles, damaging local production.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>These cities experienced significant population loss, with Dhaka's population dropping by about 70% between 1800 and 1839.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The British did not establish manufacturing centers in India, leaving artisans without alternative job opportunities.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The famines, exacerbated by British policies, led to millions of deaths and increased rural poverty.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>New urban centers did not evolve organically based on socio-economic needs but were often planned or established for colonial purposes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The Civil War disrupted cotton supply, prompting Indian farmers to grow cotton instead of food, intensifying economic instability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>To establish a new capital that reflected the grandeur of British rule and to better govern India from a more central location.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The primary architects were Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, with Lutyens directed to harmonize the architecture with Indian art traditions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>New Delhi was designed symmetrically with the President's Palace at the center, flanked by office buildings and leading to India Gate.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The buildings featured red sandstone, domes, chhatris, and jalis, reflecting a blend of modern and traditional Indian architecture.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Historical sites like Humayun's tomb, Qutb Minar, and Jantar Mantar were integrated into the city's layout to create a unified effect.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Kalikata, Sutanuti, and Gobindpur.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Because it emerged as the political, economic, social, and cultural center of British power in India.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The capital was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Hicky's Bengal Gazette, published by James Augustus Hicky.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Calcutta became a center for the freedom struggle, which influenced the decision to shift the capital to Delhi.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Delhi's location linked Central Asia, the north-west frontier, and the rest of India, attracting various rulers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>William Jones established the Asiatic Society, which was significant for promoting scholarly research in Asia.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The abolition of Sati in 1829.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Municipalities were responsible for maintaining sanitation, public health, and providing civic amenities like roads, electricity, and drinking water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>One primary reason was the lack of funds faced by the British government in India.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Lord Ripon is recognized as the father of local administration in India for his 1882 resolution on local self-government.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Municipalities provided amenities like roads, drainage systems, sewerage systems, and piped drinking water.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Municipal governance was hindered by divisions along caste and communal lines, where religion and caste interests took precedence over community wellbeing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Cities like Waltair (Visakhapatnam), Mughalsarai, Ambala Cantonment, Tundla, and Vijayawada grew around railway junctions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Railway colonies provided accommodation for railway officials, fostering a community related to the railway system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>India's current urban governance system is essentially based on the structure established by the British over a century ago.</p> Signup and view all the answers