Urban Morphology of Shahjahanabad -A Medieval

Indian Experience
by Shama Mitra Chenoy
Shahjahanabad was the capital city of the Mghal Empire! inhabited in the
geographical region of "elhi in the mid #$
th
centry %#&'(- #()$*+ It
represented the apogee of town- planning in medieval India and was the last city
of "elhi inhabited in the pre- colonial period+
Several factors were inherent in the Medieval Indian Experience+ ,his
experience comprised essentially a composite cltre! continosly evolving
syncretic traditions on accont of several centries of coming together of people
of different regions of Indian sb- continent! Arabia! -ersia! Central Asia!
Afghanistan etc! of different religions! sects! ethnicities! castes and professions
all within the space of India! in the ,r.ish and Mghal states and particlarly
in their capital city of "elhi+ ,his coming together occrred throgh processes
of assimilation! absorption! conflict! relativism and dialoge+ "elhi became the
refge of a hge mlti-ethnic! mlti-religios poplace see.ing secrity and
lateral or vertical shifts in their politico- socio- economic positions+ /ith so
many processes and inflences at wor. the idea of Shahjahanabad had already
originated+

#+ ,his new- fond relevance of "elhi was sitably cshioned by some
natral advantages particlar to its geographical region! li.e a perennial river!
hills for spply of stones for constrction and a bffer in times of war!
converging and diverging trade rotes from and towards all directions of the
sb- continent and a very rich agricltral hinterland to feed a colossal rban
poplation! engaged in non- agricltral prsits+ 0nce in "elhi! "oab and
1engal lay in easy access+
2+
,hree principal habitations and many palace fortress complexes came p in the
triangle formed by the river and the hills or the ridge+ ,hese palace fortress
complexes have been nderstood as cities! sggesting lac. of organic growth on
accont of their conscios and short lived identities+
A persal of these cities and habitations ma.es a case for an organic growth of
the city on accont of instittional! cltral continities copled with the fact
that habitations were few and confined to the river- montain triangle within the
geographical region of "elhi+
As early as the thirteenth centry the idea of "elhi was internali3ed by the
citi3ens and poets! who referred to it as Hazrat-i Dehli %revered "elhi* or the
Shahr %the City*+

"elhi was continosly inhabited and sstained as an Imperial
capital for over '44 years and again after an interregnm+
5owever! a stdy the oter forms of the cities of "elhi from 6ila- i 7ai -ithora
to "in -anah8 Shergarh reveals both planned and nplanned spaces! with the
latter far exceeding the former+ 9ot only that! there was a considerable lac. of
pblic spaces for the emphasis was mainly on the formal settings of the palaces!
the :ama Masjid and rgently re;ired water bodies+ As far as other
architectral and rban re;irements were concerned these were a
conglomeration of hapha3ard constrction of gates! ba3ars! mansions! ghettos!
slms and sarais+ Instead of localities there were ghettos based on ethnic!
religios or sectarian divisions+ Moreover! irrespective of the formality with
which the palace complexes were laid ot there was little conceptali3ation of
space at a large scale+ /hether it was the 6tb complex in 6ila- i 7ai -ithora!
the small palace and cantonment of <ilo.heri! the isolated extension of the
fortress of Siri! as also a madrasa! grain and cloth mar.ets! the fort of
,ghla;abad with very complex hydralic wor.s or the rban sprawl of
=ir3abad indicative of greater planning! to the definite and delimited space of
"in -anah8 Shergarh and the city! the morphology of the city was still in a
nascent stage+ Agra was an important intervention in the trajectory of rban plan
and lay- ot+ -ast city forms helped nderstand what needed to be avoided
inclding the form of an >Islamic city? with its limited re;irements of rban
featres of a :ama Masjid! a souq and a hammam! as also its inextricable
networ. of badly maintained lanes! its propensity to inclde every craft in
concentric circles and confine religios minorities in separate ;arters+
Shahjahanabad epitomi3ed a highly matre state of medieval "elhi throgh
evolving stages of medieval Indian society! polity! economy and cltre+ ,his
cltre encompassed efforts at developing a new linga franca! literatre! msic!
dance! fine arts and a sophisticated and an inclsive rban morphology+ ,his is
trn gave sbstance to the epithet! Dilliwala+
Cltral sophistication and inclsive rban morphology evolved de to both
episodic and processal experiences of rban dynamism+ Shahjahanabad
exemplified a grand conceptali3ation of rban space! inspired by former rban
experiences in "elhi! other cities of India! tales from -ersia of well planned
cities and the proclivities of the rler himself+ ,hree empires dominated the
Asian world where Islam had spread! the 0ttomon Empire in ,r.ey! the
Safavids in -ersia and Mghals in India+ 0f these the Mghal Empire probably
covered the largest area and commanded maximm resorces+
'+
@+ ,he morphology of Shahjahanabad had to be made to overcome
infirmities of plan and layot while being mindfl of the cltral
complexities of the times+ ,he Mghal nobility was most varied in terms
of religion! sects! ethnicity and regions+ ,here were ,ranis! Iranis!
Afghanis! Indian Mslims! 7ajpts and <ashmiris+ ,he professional
classes of <hatris! <ayasthas! 1anias! <ashmiri -andits and <ashmiri
Mslims! :ains! Marwaris and Armenians were e;ally represented+
,here were mercenaries! inclding the Chabuk Suwars and Ahadis! a
large poplation of the rban poor providing varieties of services+ ,hirty
six artisanal grops were allowed to live inside the city limits while the
ritally impre castes had to live otside it+ A floating poplation of
Eropeans and Africans from disparate bac.gronds was also to be
accommodated+
Shahjahanabad
1
! laid ot on the right ban. of the river Aamna showcased
greater morphological cohesion! identity! variety! a formal! symmetrical and
gracios layot as compared to the previos cities of "elhi or even the >Islamic
cities? of the world+
=or the first time there was a wall to delimit the city bondary from the rest of
the geographical region of "elhi+ ,he bend in the Aamna gave the city a visal
beaty while the river itself provided ;ic. transportation and a bridge of boats
cold be thrown over it to cross to the other side+ ,he fabric of the city
contained within it broad! wide streets! radiating from the fort! :ama Masjid! the
principal 1a3ars and the city gates lin.ing the city partially in a grid and
partially in a semi circitos and serpentine pattern clminating at times in other
1a3ars or localities or even cul de sacs+ ,he grid radiations were sed as
processional ways by the rler and his entorage on certain occasions bt all the
streets reached people to different parts of the city+ ,here were formally laid ot
monmental gateways! baghs! havelis! localities with hoses of middle ran.ing
people! rows of thatched hts for the rban poor! ba3ars! state sponsored
instittions for charity and health facilities! edcational instittions! pblic
spaces! canals! pools! offices which controlled the secrity of the city! places of
worship! places for recreation! sarais! hammam! etc+
#
#
9iccolo Mancci! Storio do Mogor! vol I pp #$$!#$(! vol II pp @B! 2#'
,he wall by itself sggests a holistic and formal plan for the city in which
spaces wold be earmar.ed bt not everything wold be necessarily designed or
occpied by the rler! his family or his nobility+ 1rgeoning ba3ars! localities!
encroachments and state sponsored instittions are evidence of the fact that the
state was not in control of everything that was happening in the city+
,he wall was interspersed with ## monmental gates and several posterns to
allow easy access! in and ot! from all parts of the city+ Cates were named on a*
the basis of direction they pointed to! b* the prpose they served or c* were
eponymos+ ,he "elhi! ,r.man! Ajmeri %a* and <ashmiri %a* gates are extant
while memories of the Mori %b*! <abli %a*! Dahori %a*! <hairati %b*!
-attharghati %b*! 7ajghat %b*! 9igambodh %b* and <elahat %E* gates+ ,he wall
itself was &&&@ yards and the perimeter of the city was five and a half miles
2
+
/ithin the walls of the city the largest and grandest constrction was of 6ila-i
Mbara.! the aspicios fort
3
! laid ot fronting the Aamna! planned to hose
both the administrative offices of the state and the residential chambers of the
.ing and his haram+ ,he fort had a north- soth axis and its eastern section was
located along the river+ ,he high walls of the fort! cased with dressed sandstone
and sggesting privacy and grander rather than defence! were interspersed with
gates! posterns and bastions+ A deep! broad moat ran along all sides of the fort
except towards the riverfront+ 1eyond these walls were gardens
4
with frit trees
and flower shrbs and this riot of color contrasted beatiflly with the rosy he
of the stpendos walls+ ,he fort and the river were separated by a bffer of
sand+ ,he umaras or members of the nobility! whose trn it was to gard the
fort! .ept vigil with their monted contingents! in the large open space otside
the western wall+
2
2
5 C =anshawe! "elhi -ast and -resent #B42! rep+ #BB# pp )!&
'
'
/aris! Padshah Nama! 1r+ M+ =olios! passim
@
@
Anand 7am m.hli! Safar Nama ed+ M A3har! <anpr! #B@&
1ashirddin Ahmad! Waqiat-i-Dar-ul-Hukumat-i-Dehli vol II! passim
-+S+ 0MI,,E" "ESC7I-,I09 0= ,5E =07, /5IC5 IS 1EI9C
SE-A7A,EDA A""7ESSE" 1A S0ME09E EDSEF
Shahjahan favored a geometrical layot and architectre that was delicate!
light and very adaptable to the environment+ ,he fort was aligned to the river in
the east bringing in the cool bree3e and the west had high walls to protect from
strong chilly winds in winter+ ,here was always an interplay of a bilding with
greenery and channels of water! fontain or a waterfall+ ,he bildings! whether
inside the fort or otside! had an architectonic symmetry abot them! were light
and airy! ;ic. to cool in smmer and easy to be heated in winter+ ,he wall
srfaces were wor.ed in sch a manner as not to re;ire any frther
embellishments and! if not ndly damaged! cold be maintained easily+
ShahjahanGs bildings were famos for their symmetry! trefoil and mlti-
foliated arches with perfectly located springing points! high relief carving with
its three dimensional effect in the dado panels! low relief carving and chevron
patterning! ncommon beaty of stone !alis or perforated screens! ct in
geometrical shapes or arabes;e! the art of calligraphy on stone covering large
spaces and the techni;es of tessellation and "ietra- dura! encrstation of stone
in stone with common or precios8 semi precios stones+ ,he chiselling of the
marble srface and encrstation of semi precios stone gave the impression of
walls having been needle- wor.ed+ "ecorative elements on wall srfaces and
flower motifs were inspired by -ersia and <ashmir bt the brac.ets! and the
profse se of color resonated from 7ajasthan! Cjarat! 1engal and other parts
of India+ ,he arches rested on flted colmns and this was best projected in
#aradaris made on terraces and in gardens! in pblic bildings inside the fort
and in domestic architectre+ ,he spandrels of the arches were decorated with
bosses or medallions! frther wor.ed with carving! stcco and calligraphy+
,he s.yline was a mix of a central dome and other smaller domes! .ios.s or
chatris and tiny minarets+ ,he central dome was topped with an inverted lots
flower motif and a metal or stone pinnacle+
,he se of marble for majority of the bildings and the peripheries and gates
contrasted beatiflly with red sandstone+ Shahjahani bildings were not jst
majestic and grandiose bt also conceived as part of a holistic scheme relational
to the natral srrondings or other bilt environment+ -erhaps a combination of
all these factors ma.es architectre of the period of Shahjahan so breathta.ing
in scope and in aesthetic vale+
/hile the fort was nder constrction several nobles bsied themselves
planning their own havelis+ A haveli was an imposing mansion with a large
staggered gateway+ ,he internal plan of a haveli inclded several foci arond
which were concentrated sections for men and women! offices of the owner! a
library! a formal drawing room! formal gardens with rnning water and
fontains! barrac.s! stables and perhaps a manfactory+ /alls were covered with
carved or painted with geometrical designs and flower motifs+
Amongst those who bilt havelis while the fort was nder constrction were
"ara Shi.oh! the heir apparent! Mlla SaGadllah <han! the wa3ir! Ali Mardan
<han! the expert at laying canals and Shaista <han! brother-in -law of the .ing+
9obles made innovative additions to their mansions with colorfl s.ylights!
water channels and fontains+ Ustad 5amid! the expert bilder of Shahjahan!
5absh <han! a nobleman famos for his gigantic appetite! 9awab M3affar
<han! Chasi 7am! a famos astrologer and possibly Nagar Seth! the chief in
whom all the "a$cha%ats or associations of traders! manfactrers and artisans
confederated also had their havelis in the city+
Shahjahan too. p residence in 6ila-i Mbara. on (th April #&@(! and the
occasion was celebrated with great pomp and festivities+
Soon! within a span of two years others featres of rban life too. shape+ 0f
these! mention may be made of five or six broad! wide and straight avenes
joining the city centre with nmeros gates! two long and straight ba3ars
%mar.etplace* one! towards Dahore ctting the city into two ne;al halves and
the other towards "elhi gate+
5
1oth ba3ars had arched openings leading to
verandahs and shops inside and were admired for their architectonic symmetry+
1a3ar towards Dahore was divided into five sections! Urd 1a3ar!
accommodating goods for soldiers! &otwali and Chabutara or the chief -olice
Station and the exectionerGs platform! 'auhri 1a3ar or the jewellerGs mar.et!
Cha$d$i Chowk or the pool of clear water in a large open s;are reflecting
moonlight at night! and also flan.ed by the imposing gate of the Sarai or inn for
foreign merchants! a Hammam or ,r.ish bath! followed with 1a3ar &ala$
%big* clminating in =atehpri Masjid! a large mos;e sed for congregational
)
)
:ean 1aptiste ,ravernier! (ra)els i$ *$dia ed+ /illiam Croo.e! transl+ H 1all! 2 vols! Dondon
#B2)
worship+ 1a3ar towards Agra or +aiz 1a3ar
6
was located along the north- soth
axis between another imposing congregational mos;e! A.barabadi Masjid and
"elhi gate+ 1oth mar.ets were famos for exotic and most extraordinary wares
and art de objects from Afghanistan! Central Asia! Iran and China and for
,ahwa &ha$as or coffee homes+ ,he beaty of the ba3ars was agmented by
Nahr-i #ihisht! a paradisiacal canal of rnning water and this was interspersed
with reservoirs! fontains and bridges+ ,he canal was broght by Ali Mardan
<han! a -ersian nobleman of the cort! by ctting a channel from the Aamna!
two hndred miles north+ /hile one branch flowed throgh the ba3ars the other
made its way to the fort by ctting across Sahibabad 1agh! a massive! enclosed
garden laid ot by ShahjahanGs daghter :ahanara! north of Chandni Chow.+
,his garden copled with the baghs inside and otside the fort and the havelis!
and the verdant stretch soth of the fort %present "aryaganj* retained the
enviable greenery of "elhi+
7
A :ama Masjid
8
was conceived of on Pahari :hojla!
a hilloc. facing the fort to the west! to accommodate the brgeoning poplation
for congregational prayers every =riday afternoon+ 7eligion and religiosity apart
:ama Masjid! the largest congregational mos;e of the city! possibly also in all
of northern India! became famos for many other things+ Its architectre
sggested a ;iet majesty! for important rotes of the city diverged from here!
Dariba &ala$ to the north! Chow. SaGadllah <han and 1a3ar &has to the east!
1a3ar Chitli ,abr to the soth and 1a3ar Chaura towards west! its steps on
three sides became a vibrant expression of poplar cltre which even lred the
elite+ 1ehind the stately mos;e two state sponsored instittions! Dar- ul #aqa
and Dar-ul Shifa were set p to alleviate rban poverty and provide relief from
disease+ Sandwiched between havelis were localities li.e #allimara$! #ulbuli
&ha$a! <atra Nil! <cha Murgha$! and parts of &hari #aoli and some near
<ashmiri "arwa3a+ In these and other localities li.e Maliwara! -ausha$"ura!
<cha Chahla$ <cha Chela$! along .al &ua$ and Chaura #azar the
&
&
Mohd Saleh <anbo! Amal-i -Saleh
$
$
Mir3a Sangin 1eg! Sair-ul Ma$azil
(
(
/aris! ibid/
poplace of the city bilt hoses! both commodios and modest+ Small temples
and mos;es were accommodated between hoses+ ,he big hoses of the
locality had their own well%s* in the cortyard while others drew water from
common wells of the neighborhood+ 7esidents of big mansions ct small
channels from the canal to divert some water for their se+ Merchants who
owned shops in the two main ba3ars occpied the pper floors of these
establishments as their residential spaces+ It is said many 5ind and Armenian
merchants had hoses that were five to six storeys high+
9
A large nmber of rban poor also jostled for space thogh many were forced to
live otside the city walls+ ,he thatch roofed hoses of the poor were sbject to
fre;ent conflagrations+ ,he &otwal0s oneros job was to police the city!
maintain peace and order! prevent dishonesty in weights and measres! loo.
after the welfare of the foreigners and rn an efficient and sbtle networ. of
spies+ Unofficially! it was the Nagar Seth who drove the daily economy of the
city in a non- obtrsive manner+ ,he state made arrangements for basic civic
amenities inclding clean and well lit roads and streets! particlarly becase the
city was dsty and animals were chief means of transportation+
Shahjahanabad had an intense interaction with its sbrbs! the roots of a tree as
they were called+ Sbrbs were sed for residential! commercial!
manfactring! religios! spirital prposes as well as for sports and in prsit
of a Dilliwala0s favorite pastime! sightseeing monments+ ,he wholesale of
heavy bl.! low vale goods was confined to the sbrbs+ Sbrbs were ringed
with sarais for merchants to halt with their volminos goods+ Some famos
sbrbs were Paharga$!! -a!a ka #azar! Shahdara! Subzi Ma$di! 1agh
Shahlamar! with Shikargahs or hnting lodges at Hastsal and 'a$ti+
/hile Shahajahanabd exemplified the apogee of town planning in later
medieval times! many spaces were developed in a spontaneos manner+ 5ence
the vigor! charm and attraction of many perfect bildings! fancy bolevards
and handsome s;ares within the city was frther agmented by the
heterogeneos mass of people! who interacted here! with one another and with
the environment+ ,he spaces that best showcased this were Chow. SaGadllah
<han and <has 1a3ar between the "elhi Cate of the =ort and the eastern gate of
B
B
Mohd Saleh <anbo! Amal-i Salehed+ Chlam Aa3dani! annotated by /ahid 6reshi! Dahore
#B$2
:ama Masjid+ 1oth were interspersed with fontains at reglar intervals+ Chow.
SaGadllah <han was laid ot by Mlla SaGadllah <han+ =rancois 1ernier
10
! a
=rench traveller of mid #$
th
centry! "argah 6li <han! who came from the
"eccan in mid #(
th
centry and Mir3a Sangin 1eg who wrote in mid #B
th
centry have given similar descriptions of the chow.+
Chow. SaGadllah <han was a mar.et for an endless variety of things sch as
exotic birds! swords! bejewelled daggers and food+ It was also the rende3vos of
monteban.s! jgglers! 5ind and Mslim astrologers! who fooled women the
most as they loo.ed for instant reprieve+ ,hey also played on the imaginations
of the credlos by professing to nfold the mysteries of the world before them
and 5a.ims who wore expensive cloths and conical caps! seated themselves on
colorfl carpets and dispensed mlti- colored poches of medicines! which
were in fact jst mc.+ ,hey had a large clientele of cc.olds! amongst others!
for their esoteric aphrodisiacs and efficacios cres for all .inds of venereal
diseases+ ,his eclectic mix also inclded Dasta$- go! the story- tellers who
regaled people with stories of festivals! particlarly events leading to the
&arbala tragedy! and religios ritals+ At the end of it all! poc.ets of the awe-
strc. listeners wold become considerably lighter+ 1eatifl lads danced at
intervals and many a member of the nobility! who passed by! cast covetos
glances in the direction of the Chow.+ Another dimension of poplar cltre
amongst the manifold exertions at the Chow. was flags! hoisted every year in
honor of Cha3i Mian and Madar Sahib! and a conflence of the poplace of
the city+ Chow. SaGadllah <han does not exist now bt many exertions still do
beneath the eastern steps of the :ama Masjid+
,he basic principle of rban design is that pride of place is reserved for the
second and sbse;ent town- planners rather than the first+ It is the former who
add to the existing rban fabric and its cltral development+
,he city contined to grow in the #$
th
and #(
th
centries+ It was a networ. of
intersecting roads! mins a strict grid formation or concentric circles+ 5avelis
proliferated! thogh mch smaller! fitting within <chas! <atras and mhallas
or streets and localities! Mhalla 7ashanpra! Mhalla Chrigaran! <atra
Sabha Chand! <cha 1rij 9ath etc+ Conversely havelis were trned into
#4
#
=rancois 1ernier! (ra)els i$ the Mogul 1m"ire
localities! which along with places of worship! ba3ars and shops! mshroomed
everywhere within the city+ In late #(
th
centry! fear of life forced artisans living
otside to see. shelter in the walled spaces of the city+
Shahjahanabad embodied a mltiplicity of identities and its fnctional
characteristics increased manifold in nmber and scope+ ,he 1adshah lived in
Shahjahanabad and it was Dar- ul &hilafa or seat of both religios and temporal
athority+ 5is cort and hosehold were located here+ 5e distribted largesse
from here+ It was a symbol of the rlerGs legitimacy over his competitors and
enemies and perpetation of athority over everyone in the realm+ It was the
centre of power! governance! jstice! administration and glamor+ It was the
capital of both a strong Mghal Empire and a tottering one+ A large nmber of
nobles lived here+ Dater! when it was no longer convenient for governors of
different regions to live in the city! they only paid perfnctory obeisance to the
.ing bt stationed their representatives here+
Shahjahanabad was a centre of higher learning and .nowledge transfer! on
accont of the nmeros edcational centres fnctioning in different parts of its
areas+ ,he literary achievements! literatre and poetry of *$quilab and Shahr
Ashob %change and lament*! verses in praise of the city! 2hazal or love poetry
and Marsi%a &hwa$i or elegies ! gave "elhi a vibrant intellectal expression!
emlated in other cities with adaptations and variations+ ,he streets of the city
too! were also a great learning experience+
Shahjahanabad was a florishing economic centre+ ,his economy rested on
trade! finance! manfactre and throgh trade+ It had hori3ontal and vertical
lin.ages with cities and towns of the Indian sb- continent+ It had a ring of
entrepot mar.ets! credit facilities and other instrments of trade+ ,here was an
ama3ing range of the typologies of mar.ets! central! regional! speciali3ed! local!
$akhas or elementary and wee.ly ba3ars+ In addition! there were constantly
increasing retail otlets or shops! manfactories and some karkha$as belonging
to the .ings! nobles and merchants+ Doans cold be raised and the choicest and
most commonplace commodities cold be boght in the ba3ars+ A diversity of
handicrafts were manfactred or finished here! silverware! brassware! inlay!
engraving and setting of stone and polishing and frbishing on varieties of
srfaces! jewellery from the cheapest to the most expensive metals and stones
and the art of calligraphy+ ,here were fashioners! painters! limners! sclptors!
seal engravers and people who speciali3ed in pyrotechnics+ It was a trism for
Shahjahanabad as it was for every city of "elhi that Ievery commodity fond a
mar.et here+G Shahjahanabad was a city for charity! employment and high
consmption levels+ ,he city collected octroi from trade+ It was a space that
accommodated demographic pressres that the process of rbani3ation led to+ In
actal figres this translated into a poplation of ) la.hs in mid #$
th
centry

to
24 la.hs %estimate of :esits* for mid #(
th
centry+ In the constant attac.s and
depredations of :ats! Si.hs! Marathas and -athans that followed from #$'4Gs
onwards! the poplation declined! many eminent poets migrated to other centres
of patronage while the people lived with fear as their companion+
Shahjahanabad exercised a pll over other regions and in its spaces people
cold be very mobile! vertically pwards and downwards+ Its rban spaces
provided for people and commnities to interact+ ,he symbiotic relationship
between the =ort and the city was played ot here+ In #$
th
centry the fort was
the centre of power! largesse and glamor for the people of the city+ In #(
th
centry! confsion and desperation emanated from the 6ila and it became a
warring field between nobles in wars of attrition! as the inmates of the fort
became indebted to the merchants of Shahjahanabad+ In #B
th
centry! the fort
and the .ing had vale for nostalgia+ ,he powerless 1adshah was propped p
and for residents of the city! English East India CompanyGs largesse seemed
honorable if it was followed with a meaningless title from him+
Shahjahanabad was a space from where patronage was extended+ As the city life
grew in matrity! the circle of patrons widened to inclde not only members of
the royalty and the nobility bt also merchants! professionals and the artists
themselves+
Mir ,a;i Mir loved the beaty of the rbanscape and was awed by it as he wrote
in the second half of the #(
th
centryJ
Dilli ke $a the kuche auraq musawwir the
'o shakl $azar a%e taswir $azar a%e+
,he streets of "elhi were not mere streetsK they were li.e a painterGs albmK
Every figre I saw there was a model of perfection+
,he .ingGs fort in Shahjahanabad occpied pride of place in its location and
si3e+ 5owever! if we did find any other hierarchy of rban space in the time of
Shahjahan! demographic pressre leveled that to a large extent+ ,his becomes
evident when we loo. at a map of the city+ Actally! becase of the proximity of
the river and so many gates! posterns! central ba3ars! the canal and arterial
rotes in the city! there were many coveted locations+ ,his in trn! dilted the
pressre that cold have been exercised on the city+
Moreover! in spite of a planned and developed rbanscape! segregation of
spaces was ha3y! the bondaries f33y which become more so with
demographic pressre+ Caste! class and professional distinctions were
maintained to some extent! bt these factors were not the overarching reality to
trn the city into mltiple ghettos+ /hile Chow. SaGadllah <han was a hb of
rban entertainments! there were many other areas where people felt
entertained+
11
In the ba3aar towards Dahore! =ai3 1a3ar! at times below the fort
walls! <has 1a3ar and <hanm .a 1a3ar! along the canal and its bridges! in the
6ahwa <hanas
12
in Chandni Chow.! by the poetic expressions with which
vendors attracted the attention of the cstomers to their wares and in the msical
soirees held at homes of the nobility and the cortesans+ ,he cortesans were
scattered arond the city and they were not yet segregated into a Dal ki Ma$di+
Shahjahanabad was a hge space of contestations between people in control of
all .inds of powers+ /hile Namak Halali or loyalty to salt was an ideal not to be
compromised with! sbtle and obvios ndercrrents of tension between nobles
for power and largesse too. the form of partisanship on ethnic! religios and
sectarian bases! middle ran.ing officialdom became partisans of their patrons!
the soldiers strove to have their salaries paid! the poor strggled to srvive and
the rler had to maintain netrality in face of odds and revolts+
In the defined physical space of Shahjahanabad there was at times protests and
conflict between people of different commnities! when each perceived
injstice had been done %protest by 5inds against re-imposition of 'azi%a by
Arang3ebK the shoe sellers riot in #$'2*+ ,he coming of the East India
Company created its own set of tensions and conflicts+ ,he Company officials
11
1
Bernier, Travels
Dargah Quli Khan, Muraqqa-e-Dehli
Mirza Sangin Beg, Sair-ul-Manazil
#2
#
"argah 6li <han! Muraqqa-i Dehli
learnt to follow a policy of divide and rle very early in "elhi and the riot of
#(4B was a major example+
Sfism and sfi practices did not go down well with the religios orthodox+
7eligios reformers li.e Shah /alillah felt a sense of deep discontentment at
the behavior of the .ings and the general Mslim poplace+ 5e fond! mch to
his chagrin! his co-religionists were partisans of sperstitions and had created
rotes of pilgrimage! and performed 3iyarat at the sfi dargahs+ 5e was in a
constant state of contestation with certain ways of life+ In spite of these
contestations! Sfism had become a way of life and its greatest victory was that
"elhi was also .nown as 33 &hwa!a ki Chaukhat or the threshold of twenty-
two saints++
Shahjahanabad was a centre of orthodox! organi3ed religions bt also a space
where heterodoxy rather than conformity was a great tradition+ Several sfi
saints! Shah 5are 1hare! Sfi Sarmad and Shah 1la! Shah Madar %ma3ar*
occpied spaces arond :ama Masjid and made their presence felt! irrespective
of whether their religio- spirital ideas were accepted or not by the orthodoxy or
whether the latter frowned on their sacred spaces and religios transgressions+
,he Charandasis challenged social discrimination in a similar manner+ Sfism
challenged orthodoxy bt Shahjahanabad was not .nown to have any woman
saint and "argahs had largely become bastions of male dominance+
Sfi ethos was highly pervasive and nmeros festivities attest to this as to the
fact that the sbrbs were very closely integrated to the city+
-eople of "elhi enjoyed themselves most when paying homage to "irs and
fakirs %mendicants! ascetics and spirital preceptors*! participating in the
ceremonies of Urs at nmeros "argahs! celebrating 1asant at 6adam Sharif
and -rophet MhammadGs birthday at Arab .i Sarai! watching regal processions!
being entertained at the street corners by artists of merit! getting together in
wards where the Muhtasib dared not exercise his athority to censre them for
their lac. of morals! celebrating seasons! in competitions of physical prowess
and had the deep desire to travel to places of architectral and scenic beaty+
,hese were occasions that broght people of all segments and strata of society
together+
A festival of commnal harmony! Phoolwalo$ &i Sair! combined two old
religio- spirital places in Mehrali! :og Maya ,emple and "argah of
6tbddin 1a.htiyar <a.i and 'har$a! a natral fall landscaped by hman
ingenity! within the cltral festivities+ In the early #B
th
centry ceremonies and
fairs were held at 5anman ,emple %present 1aba <hara. Singh Marg* and
<al.a ,emple %near 9ehr -lace*+ ,here was also a Saragio ka Mela or a fair
for the :ains+
Chandni Chow. was famos for its ba$ke or dandies with their long twirling
mostaches and the drill they performed+ ,he city was very well .nown for
connoissers of msic and dance and the artists were very particlar abot
where and in front of whom they performed+
Shahjahanabad set trends in architectral styles! rban planning! aesthetic
expressions! performing arts %dance*! literatre! and adab+ Instrmental and
vocal msic were ta.en to new heights by sfis! artists! dancing and singing
girls+ Some styles of singing of the times were &abbit! 'a$gla! &ha%%al!
Dhru"ad! Na0at and ,awwali! most of which are poplar to this day+ In
Shahjahanabad the idea of convivial gatherings of the earlier period were
transformed into msical soirees! and these were organi3ed both pblicly and
privately+ ,he cortesans and dancing women exhibited their own styli3ed
movements of dance and were very choosy abot the people allowed in their
domain+ Shahjahanabad was one of the centres where -ekhti! #egumati zaba$
fond space along with -ekhta and Urd+ Urd was a synergi3ed expression of
both -ersian and 5indi! flowered as the langage of literatre and as the vehicle
of commnication of the literate and nderstood by the masses! a lot of whom
lac.ed formal edcation+ #adi 2ohi or repartee! -oz- marra or common
langage and the se of muhawara or idiomatic langage were favored forms
of conversation and dialoge in private mehfils! at ceremonies of rs and in
pblic spaces li.e Chow. SaGadllah <han! Hauz-i-Shamsi and 'har$a both in
Mehrali+
Some of the best literary figres and poets also inhabited its spaces+ ,heir
astere and hard-hitting prose had an ascetic ;ality abot it and served to
focs! sharply and clearly! on the times+ Many members of the nobility also
preferred the pen to the sword and enriched the repertoire of poetic wor.s left
for s+ ,he verses of 1edil! Ar3! Sada! Mir ,a;i Mir! and 5atim made for
compelling reading+
0ne of the greatest victories of Urd was it compelled Chalib to se it as a
medim of poetic expression for he had been loath to do so+ ,his was an
example of poplar cltre overwhelming elite cltre+ ChalibGs
contemporaries! La.! Momin! Shefta! "aag and others! who lived in the
<chas and <atras of the city also composed beatifl verses in Urd+ More
than a hndred years before Urd was declared the official cort langage in
"elhi! in #(''! it had begn to blossom as the linga franca of the literati! the
genteel sections and those on the streets who cold grasp its nances+
=rom #(4' onwards when officials of the English East India Company gained
political control over "elhi the city became the focal point of control of the
Mghal 1adshah+ In those days a few Eropean maveric.s of mixed parentage!
professionals and soldiers made their home in the less inhabited or saniti3ed
areas of a city cho.ed with InativesG and their misplaced priorities+ ,he less
densely poplated area towards <ashmiri "arwa3a which once hosed two
massive havelis of "ara Shi.oh and Ali Mardan <han was trned into a sort of
a Eropean enclave or ;arter! complete with the 7esidency! S.innerGs mansion!
St+ :ames Chrch! a post- office and a maga3ine+ A ban. was set-p in the bsy
commercial street .nown as Chandni Cha.+ All these bildings also added to
the mltiple typologies of bildings that existed in Shahjahanabad+ =or the
soldiers of the army of the East India Company the verdant stretch of "aryaganj
was tili3ed to create a grid ma3e of hoses! hospital etc+ =rom #('4 onwards!
more and more employees of the Company moved to the hilly stretch north of
<ashmiri "arwa3a+ + Dater! the Sarai at Chandni Chow. was demolished to
erect a cloc. tower and offices of the mnicipality+ In an attempt to revive the
canal! water was made to flow in it several times bt to no avail+
,ypologies of big hoses added in #B
th
centry in Shahjahanabad and in the
sbrbs were <othis and 1ngalows+ <othis had essentially been storage spaces
for goods or factories of Eropean trade companies and were now imposing
residences of English sahibs and sophisticated 5inds and Mslims %<othi
1egm Smr* also .nown as being on the >English -attern?+
1angla was a mansion type already in se in Shahjahanabad in the #(
th
centry+
5owever! what the 1ritish constrcted was the 1ngalow! a rral dwelling! now
a sbrban model dwelling of the 1ritish+ In contradistinction to the haveli! a
bngalow was a free- standing! single storey strctre with a verandah rnning
rond it! raised on a plinth and sitated within a large compond+ It had
mltiple! contigos! covered spaces for different prposes where natre did not
enter+ It formed a statement of 1ritish power+
Srgeries were performed by the company officers on the rban fabric to redce
the cltter the city and ma.e its environment more condcive to healthy living+
An earlier instittion revived by the 1ritish was "elhi College shering in an
edcational and cltral 7enaissance+ -rior to the mayhem of #()$ the 1ritish
had tried to rectify the misplaced priorities of the natives who spent more on
marriages and less on civic necessities+
Shajahanabad and its rban form provided the space for contestation between
the sepoys and their partisans vis-a vis the 1ritish and their partisans in #()$+
,his episodic intervention was case enogh to begin a process of conflict with
the political masters bt also bring abot major changes in the morphology of
the city and redce it to a Mofussil town sggesting lac. of trst between the
rlers and the rled+
Ever since modern Indians have become heritage conscios Shahjahanabad has
become the new poster city to showcase long rooted cltral traditions! the
basic seclar fabric of the city as all places of worship are located on the most
important street of the city! extending between the fort and =atehpri Masjid
and erroneosly called Chandni Chow.+ ,he fact is so mch of the past endres
in poc.ets within and in the cltre of people otside these poc.ets+ In &hari
#aoli best condiments and spices can still be boght as can stars! spangles!
brocades! mas.s and weapons of earlier times from &i$ari 1a3ar+ In <chas and
<atras and at the shop of Chantewala! the oldest srviving sweetmeat shop! one
can indlge the sweet tooth with rabri! daulat ki chaat! !alebi and halwa etc+
and parta.e of choicest snac.s li.e aloo ki tikki! berhmi aloo! "arathas! "a"ri
chaat! kababs! bir%a$i and $argisi kofta+ ,his! even thogh! post- independence
Shahjahanabad was trned into a vast mar.et of wholesale for all .inds of
commodities and petty manfactring nits cropped p! forcing the older
residents to move ot while simltaneosly jac.ing p land rates+
ShahjahanabadGs bilt heritage comprising the =ort! :ama Masjid! many other
mos;es! beatifl :ain temples of the "igamber and Shwetambara sects!
innmerable caste temples of the 5inds dedicated to a vast pantheon of gods!
and where caste specific ritals still endre! the grdwara! the space of which
was a major milestone in the history of the Si.hs! the fnctional "argahs! the
many havelis of the Mghal and colonial period! which still srvive the
onslaght of modernity! an even greater nmber of haveli facades still extant!
the strctre of the town hall! "ara Shi.ohGs library! many madrasas and
schools! the serpentine <chas and <atras! the mansions of the ha.ims! nobles
and more modest hoses of the poets who fell in love with the streets of
Shahjahanabad! the localities! the interactions of the shop.eepers and the
cstomers! the ;aint names with which the city is replete! gracios rban
spaces! the immense cltral variety that can still be located in the festivals! in
festivities! in processions and fairs need to be preserved and conserved and
sstained in a meaningfl manner+ So shold that lifestyle which gives a feeling
of being perpetally in a fair and where everything is close at hand or at
wal.ing distance! the ha.im! the shopping! the school! the relatives and friends!
entertainments and the phenomenal varieties of food+
More than any strctre it is the living cltre! a way of life that Shahjahanabad
still embodies that needs to be protected and given breathing space+ 1ildings
can still be replicated bt a cltre cannot+ ,he pace of life! the muhalledari or
good neighborliness that still endre! the accommodation of one anotherGs
lifestyle! the vales and responses of the people! the old crafts that still florish
and Urd langage over which people still have a great command+ ,he city and
its people have absorbed technological and transport innovations beatiflly+
,hey have also assimilated ideas of electricity! rnning water and
commnications+ ,hey are in sync with the other parts of the city and the world+
=or them it means being rooted and being global at the same time+ In spite of
every change it is a fact that tre to the ethos of a city this area also maintains
many levels of activity throghot day and night+ It is that part of the larger city
of "elhi where most travellers immediately feel a sense of belonging+ Even
thogh commercial activity has increased manifold overwhelming the
residential poplation! and swallowing the spaces! the graces and the
entertainments of this rban centre! a very strong case can still be made for the
protection and restoration of this living cltre+ It wold mean a holistic
preservation which in the end will be more meaningfl+
Shahjahanabad which showcased a matre medieval cltre and an early
colonial phase contines to showcase both cltral continity and the changing
socio- cltral mores+ It is cocooned in its own space yet meets the demands of
the oter world+ A metro streaming across its sb- terraneos accesses means a
short ride into tradition and a similar ride ot of it+ Det Shahjahanabad not be a
sbject only for a coffee table boo.+
Shama Mitra Chenoy!
Associate -rofessor
Shivaji College! University of "elhi+
24 Snder 9agar
9ew "elhi ##444'+