English

Urbanisation in Ancient India

Advertisements

Topics

  • Definition: Urbanisation
  • Phases of Urbanisation in Ancient India
  • Definition: First Urbanisation
  • Overview of the First Urbanisation
  • Definition: Second Urbanisation
  • Causes of the Second Urbanisation
  • Key Takeaways
Maharashtra State Board: Class 12

Definition : Urbanisation

Urbanisation is when more and more people move from villages to towns and cities, leading to the growth and expansion of urban areas where people live and work together in non-farming jobs.

Maharashtra State Board: Class 12

Phases of Urbanisation in Ancient India

Maharashtra State Board: Class 12

Definition : First Urbanisation

First urbanisation in ancient India refers to the development of well-planned cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro during the Indus Valley Civilization, where people lived together with advanced facilities like grid streets and drainage systems.

Maharashtra State Board: Class 12

Overview of the First Urbanisation

  • Major cities: Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira
  • Features 

  • Modern cities like Chandigarh employ planned grid layouts inspired by ancient models.
Maharashtra State Board: Class 12

Definition : Second Urbanisation

Second urbanisation means the rise of new towns along the Ganga plains around 600 BCE, brought about by farming, trade, and the use of coins, leading to bigger kingdoms called Mahajanapadas.

Maharashtra State Board: Class 12

Causes of the Second Urbanisation

Cause Explanation
Migration and settlement of Indo-Aryans

The Indo-Aryans

  • moved from northwest India to the Gangetic plains,
  • cleared forests,
  • started large-scale farming, paving the way for new towns.
Agricultural expansion

Forests were cleared and farmlands expanded, creating food surpluses that could support town populations.

Technological advances
  • Iron tools made farming and building easier;
  • Coinage helped trade and economic growth.
Emergence of Janapadas and Mahajanapadas
  • Many small kingdoms (Janapadas) joined into larger states (Mahajanapadas)
  • This provided strong administration and stability for urban centres .
Growth of trade and artisan guilds
  • Trade routes expanded internally and externally.
  • Craftsmen and traders formed guilds (shrenis) that made towns wealthier and more organized.
Increasing importance of kings

Kings

  • gained more power
  • organized administration
  • collected taxes
  • supported the growth and management of towns.
Religious and cultural developments New religions (Buddhism and Jainism) and cultural shifts attracted people to new urban centers, making cities hubs of learning and spirituality.
Maharashtra State Board: Class 12

Key Takeaways

  • Urbanisation means the growth of towns and cities, mainly supported by non-farming jobs and better facilities.

  • The First Urbanisation happened during the Indus Valley Civilization, with cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro showing grid-planned streets, advanced drainage, and trade with other ancient cultures.

  • The Second Urbanisation started around 600 BCE in the Gangetic plains, sparked by Indo-Aryan migration, agricultural expansion, iron tool use, coinage, and the rise of new kingdoms (Mahajanapadas).

  • Ancient urban features like guilds, grid layouts, and drainage systems still inspire modern Indian city planning.

Test Yourself

Advertisements
Share
Notifications

Englishहिंदीमराठी


      Forgot password?
Use app×