1 Introduction

Recently, I've heard a term again: The Indian City. It was used by an urban planner. During his presentation he pointed out lots of similarities between selected cities. In the end the majority of the predominantly US-American audience appeared to be convinced of the existence of the Indian city. However, Indian congress participants were not. Instead they were amused. Why? Well, the speaker referred to Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi. None of these cities had been founded by indigenous people. All of them came into existence during colonial times. Of course these cities are Indian. However, they are not exactly representing traditional urban patterns. This remark suggests there was a kind of typical pre-colonial city model. Actually, prior to British rule there were at least two. - I will revert to this aspect in a second.




2 Indian City Types

To understand today's city structures it is essential to take a look at several formative periods of urban development and resulting city layouts. Indian cities can be broadly classified into traditional, colonial, "post-colonial", and contemporary cities. To be precise: today's cityscapes are a patchwork comprising more or less elements originating form the periods mentioned.




2.1 Traditional Cities

At a first glance traditional Indian cities have a lot in common. They typically were compact densely built-up low-rise developments made up of narrow, winding streets, occasionally widening into market streets or squares. The houses were predominantly inward-oriented, enclosing a central courtyard.

A prominent feature of traditional towns and cities was their intuitive growth pattern. Another palpable characteristic is the tight link between residential units and places of work, the common spatial identity of commercial and private functions. This mix of uses reaches down to the level of individual buildings.

A closer look at India's traditional urban settlements, however, reveals as many differences as common characteristics, allowing to identify two indigenous forms of city type and cityscape:

• Hindu style (for instance Varanasi). Those towns development was based on road and street geometry. These settlements originated in Vedic principles and cosmologic concepts. This typically walled towns are interspersed with distinct quarters enclosed by concentric walls. Temple districts, for instance, are "towns" on their own right. Within their walls a wide variety of gateways defines a hierarchy of spaces. Such "towns in town" are mostly characterized by strict caste sub-divisions. Within the outer walls a rich patchwork of dwelling units and shops exists.
  
  
• Islamic style (for example the Mughal Delhi or Hyderabad). In contrast to Hindu towns, the circulation system is of secondary significance. Towns and cities are primarily defined by buildings like palaces, forts, mosques, and gardens. The "remaining" space was occupied by an intricate street network. The Islamic city, too, is characterized by neighborhoods reflecting social stratification, and cellular growth patterns.

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