Third Urbanization in india
Subhaneel
Adhikary
Paper-3
UG-II
Roll-76
Definition
The Third Urbanization in India refers to the rapid growth of Urban Centres from around 600 CE to 1200 CE marked
by the rise of trade, crafts, and administration, especially during the early medieval period under regional kingdoms
and empires.
Why is it called so?
It is called third urbanization as India experienced two major phases of urbanization:
1. First Urbanization(2600-1900 BCE)-Harappan Civilization
2. Second Urbanization(1000-600 BCE)- Rise of Sixteen Mahajanapadas
Features
Urban centres emerged during early medieval period(600-1200 CE).
Growth of temple towns and pilgrimage centres.
Development of market towns
Handicrafts and guilds flourished.
Inland and coastal trade expanded.
Urban centres linked to religion.
Regional Variations in Third Urbanization
Urbanization patterns varied across regions:
South India: Cities like Kanchipuram and Madurai grew as major religious and trade centers. Temple
endowments, guilds, and overseas trade contributed to their development.
Eastern India (Bengal and Odisha): Cities like Puri and Tamralipti became important religious and maritime hubs.
Western India: Towns in Gujarat and Maharashtra emerged as trade and pilgrimage centers.
North India: Urban growth was relatively slow, but pilgrimage towns like Varanasi continued to thrive.
Counterarguments
Historian R.S. Sharma defined in his book “Urban Decay in India” that after the collapse of Gupta Empire,the decline of
trade started which led to the decline of [Link] gave a two stage urban decay,first one beginning in the second half of
the 3rd or 4th century and the second one starting after the 6th century.
As decline of trade started so migration started from cities to village which led to a agrarian based economy which led
to the decline of coinage especially metallic coins in economic transactions and increased reliance on barter system
rather than cash-based economy.
Rise of land grants instead of salaries to officials reduced monetary circulation in the then feudal economy. So
[Link] used the word “Monetary Anaemia” to illustrate the economic stagnation and semi-feudal structure of
early medieval India.
[Link]
Arguments supporting Third Urbanization
Archaeological evidence of large settlements.
Buddhist sources like Tripitaka(Pali Canon) and Jataka Tales mentioned cities like
Rajagriha,Sravasti,Vaishali,Ujjain,Kausambi and [Link] texts like Agamas and Kalpasutra also mentioned the
same.
[Link] in his book “The Making of Early Medieval India” stated that the urban centres were not
equivalent to those of earlier periods but the cities didn’t decline completely due to decline in foreign [Link]
cities also developed at that time like Madurai,Kancheepuram,Thanjavur and [Link] emphasized that the
early medieval urbanism was regionally rooted and diverse.
[Link]
Ranabir Chakravarti also agreed with the opinion of B.D. [Link] highlighted the importance of
‘Mandapikas’ in the trade circuits of early medieval [Link] also mentioned about small periodic
markets(hatta,hattika) and larger trade centres(pattana) which indicated that the cities didn’t decline completely.
Ranabir Chakravarti
[Link] focused on South India particularly Tamilnadu argued that urban centres grew at
that [Link] cities were under Chola empire i.e. Kuramukku and Palyarai(twin cities) situated at Kaveri
[Link] also argued that these urban centres grew around temples.
[Link]
Conclusion
The third urbanization is debated but generally accepted as a transformative phase.
It can be concluded that despite urban decline in parts of India (CE 300–900), urbanization persisted through
locally rooted developments. Unlike earlier periods, early medieval cities were shaped by agrarian expansion,
religious institutions, and internal trade, marking a third phase of Indian urbanization distinct from earlier external
trade-driven growth..
Debate enriches understanding of ancient Indian urban process.
References
Books:-
1. Chattopadhyaya,Brajadulal,1998,The Making of Early Medieval India,Oxford:Oxford University Press
2. Sharma,Ram Sharan,1987,Urban Decay in India,Lucknow:Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers [Link].
3. চক্রবর্তী,রণবীর,২০২৩,প্রাচীন ভারতের অর্থনৈতিক ইতিহাসের সন্ধানে,কলকাতা:আনন্দ
পাবলিশার্স প্রাইভেট লিমিটেড
4. Singh,Upinder,2022,A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India:From the Stone Age to the 12 th
Century,Noida:Dorling Kindersley(India) Pvt. LTD.
Websites:-
1. [Link] ,last accessed on 5th April,2025.
Thank You
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