BUILDING AND TOWN PLANNING

Topic: Town Planning in Ancient India

Mughal Period (1526 -1707 A.D.)

. The beginning of the empire is conventionally dated to the founder Babur's victory over Ibrahim Lodi, the last ruler of the Delhi Sultanate in the First Battle of Panipat (1526).The "classic period" of the Mughal Empire started in 1556 with the ascension of Akbar the Great to the throne.

During Mughal period various cities and monumental structures of architecture excellence were constructed.

Cities like Agra, Delhi were re-developed.

Fatehpur - Sikri was entirely planned.Many gardens and parks were

developed.

Important gardens developed during Mughal period:

o Kabul Bagh at Panipat by Babar

Shalimar Bagh at Kashmir by Shah Jahan

Indus Valley civilisation(3000 B.C)

• The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) was a Bronze Age civilisation (3300–1300 BCE; mature period 2600–1900 BCE) extending from what today is northeast Afghanistan to Pakistan and northwest India

• the Indus Civilization may have had a population of over five million. Inhabitants of the ancient Indus river valley developed new techniques in handicraft (carnelian products, seal carving) and metallurgy (copper, bronze, lead, and tin).

• The Indus cities are noted for their urban planning, baked brick houses, elaborate drainage systems, water supply systems, and clusters of large non-residential buildings

• The Indus valley civilisation had greatly developed as that of ancient Mesopotamia.

• The cities had highly advanced system of town planning.

• The city of Mohenjo-Daro as shown in fig was located on two mounds, one 1183*546m and other 364*273 m with the population of 70,000.

• The city was built systematically.

• The street 9 m wide divided the city in 12 blocks each 365*244m.

• The layout of street based on ‘Grid-iron Plan’.• Houses were of varying sizes and storeys,

constructed with bricks walls.• A series of rooms were arranged around an

open-to-sky central court.• The residences has no direct entrance opening to

the main streets.

• Almost every house built of kiln –brick had complete bathing establishment.

• The city had very well planned drainage system.

• There were manholes located at different places for inspection and cleaning.

• Market halls, granaries, offices were neatly planned.• The great bath of Mohenjo-Daro had a remarkable

system of filling and emptying.• It was made water tight with layers of bitumen, and

was surrounded by toilets and private baths.• The Indus valley culture collapsed due to

catastrophe.

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