TOWNS TRADERS AND

CRAFTSPERSONS

SUB-HISTORY

Administrative centers

Urethan, the capital of the CholasThe perennial river Kaveri flowsnear this beautiful townSwarajes temple built by King Jararaca CholaBesides the temple, there are palaceswith mandalas or pavilionsKings hold court in these mandalas, issuing orders to their subordinates. There are also barracks for the armyBustling with markets selling grain,spices, cloth and jewelleryWater supply for the town comes from wells and tanks

Temple towns and pilgrimage centers

Urethan is also an example of a temple townTemple towns represent a very important pattern ofurbanization, the process by which cities developTemples were often central to the economy and societyRulers built temples to demonstratetheir devotion to various deitiesPilgrims who flocked to the temples also made donations.Temple authorities used their wealthto finance trade and bankingPilgrimage centers also slowly developed into townshipsKajawah MUDding Tachism, the celebrated Sufi saint settled in ajmer  in the twelfth century, attracted devotees from all creeds.Near Ajmer is a lake, Petrushka, which hasattracted pilgrims from ancient times

The craftspersons of Lidar were so famed for their inlaywork in copper and silver that it came to be called BidiPaschal or Mishawaka community, consisting of gold smiths,bronze smiths, blacksmiths, masons and carpenters were essential to the building of templesalso played an important role in the construction of palaces,big buildings, tanks and reservoirsweavers such as the Salivary or Kolarian emerged as prosperous communities, making donations to templesaspects of cloth making like cotton cleaning, spinningand dyeing became specialized and independent crafts

New Towns and Traders

European countries were searching for spices and textiles,which had become popular both in Europe and West AsiaEnglish, Dutch and French formed East India Companiesto expand their commercial activities in the eastGreat Indian traders like Mulla Abdul Hamburghand Virid Vora competed with themDemand for goods like textiles led to great expansion ofthe crafts of spinning, weaving, bleaching, dyeing, etcEighteenth century saw the rise ofBombay, Calcutta and MadrasMerchants and artisans moved into the Black Towns,established by the European companies within these cities

Sampi

located in the Krishna-Aurangabad basin,capital ofVijayanagar Empire, founded in 1336its magnificent ruins reveal a well-fortified cityArchitecture was distinctive.buildings in the royal complex had splendidarches, domes and pillared halls with niches for holding sculpturesbustled with commercial and cultural activitiesMoors, Chattis and agents of European traders such as the Portuguese, thronged the markets of Sampi

Network of Small Towns

Had mandible (or mand of later times) to which nearbyvillagers brought their produce to sellThey also had market streets called chatta (hast of later times) lined with shops for different kinds of artisanssome traders lived in the town,others traveled from town to townzamindar built a fortified palace in or near these townsAlauddin’s administrative measures weresuccessful and praisedHe successfully withstood the threat of Mongol invasions

Surat

Surat in Gujarat was emporium of western trade

gateway for trade with West Asia via the Gulf of Ormuzhas also been called the gate to Mecca becausemany pilgrim ships set sail from hereThe city was cosmopolitan and peopleof all castes and creeds lived therePortuguese, Dutch and English had their factories and warehouses at Suratseveral retail and wholesale shops selling cotton textileshad a market in West Asia, Africa andEurope for their gold lace bordersSurat Rundis were honored in the far-off markets ofCairo in Egypt, Basra in Iraq and Antwerp in Belgium.is a bustling commercial center