Colonial India: Urban Transformation and Merchant Power
Urban Conditions During Colonial Rule
Q. 9 What was the condition of the cities during the colonial rule in India?
- A new class of laborers and workers was emerging. Rural laborers were migrating to the cities for employment, attracted by the opportunities and city life.
- Colonial rulers conducted surveys, collecting statistical data and publishing governmental reports periodically.
- The maps of Madras (Chennai), Bombay (Mumbai), and Calcutta (Kolkata) differed significantly from older maps. The architecture of buildings also changed.
- A large number of laborers migrated to hill stations where tea and coffee plantations were established.
- Cities offered new opportunities for women. Some social reformers supported women’s education, though orthodox elements opposed it. Gradually, women’s participation in public life increased as they entered new occupations as maids, factory laborers, teachers, and actresses.
The Rise of Indian Merchants in Colonial Cities
Q.10 How did prominent Indian merchants establish themselves in the colonial city?
Prominent Indian merchants established themselves in colonial cities in phases across Madras (Chennai), Bombay (Mumbai), and Calcutta (Kolkata). Initially, they sought to become agents of the East India Company. These colonial cities served as trade and administrative centers, facilitating relationships between Indian merchants and Europeans.
These cities offered modern amenities such as hotels, restaurants, lodging, transport, roadways, and shipping facilities. Bombay became a major center for the opium trade with China. Indian merchants actively collected opium from Rajasthan and Malwa, transporting it on horses, ponies, and camels. They profited as middlemen between farmers and company agents.
Besides the East India Company, government officials and other Europeans participated in the illegal opium trade, enriching Indian merchants who constructed grand buildings in major colonial cities. The Industrial Revolution in England transformed these cities into entry points for British manufactured goods and export hubs for Indian raw materials.
The introduction of railways in 1853 altered the fortunes of towns. Economic activity shifted from traditional towns along old routes and rivers. Railway stations became collection depots for raw materials and distribution points for imported goods. For example, Mirzapur, a cotton goods collection center, declined after a railway link to Bombay was established. Railway towns like Jamalpur, Waltair, and Bareilly developed with railway workshops and colonies.
Indian merchants came from diverse communities and castes, including Parsis, Marwaris, Konkanis, Arabs, Gujarati Baniyas, Boras, and Jews. Some invested in modern industries, shipping, and airlines. They also donated to construct inns, wells, tanks, temples, mosques, churches, and other religious sites.