Urban History of India (A Case Study)

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Urbanization has become a world-wide phenomenon in the 20th century. In modern India urbanization was greatly facilitated by the British government. The East India Company selected sites which had both strategic and commercial Importance. Since in the beginning, their trade was mainly sea-borne, and water- transport was the main means of conveyance, they chose those sites which were close to the sea.

In this book is analysed the process of urbanization of Assam in a historical setting taking Dibrugarh town as the focus of attention. After establishing their suzerainty over the hill tribes with Dibrugarh town as the headquarter of the British military and para-military forces, the rulers set out to fulfill their ultimate objective of commercial exploitation of the rich natural resources. Tea-plantation yielded good returns to the British capital invested. Discovery of coal and oil in the nearby places further increased the Importance of this town in the eyes of the colonial rulers. It became the most commercially advanced and materially developed town in the entire north-east.

The newly emerging industrial activities, necessitated importation of people from other parts of India. As a result the demographic composition of the town. underwent great changes.

Dr. (Ms) Deepali Barua's book, Urban History of India: A Case Study, based on her doctoral research makes an interesting read- ing. She has unfolded the process of urbanisation of Assam in a his- torical setting, taking Dibrugarh Town as the focus of attention. The story she tells in her book is a story of urban growth brought about through conscious and deliberate efforts of the colonial rulers for the purposes of expansion of the British Empire and the commercial exploitation of resources. Certain sites were selected by the colonial rulers keeping in view their military and commer- cial interests. Necessary infrastructural facilities were then created in and around these sites. It is these focal points which soon emerged as urban growth centres facilitating military and com- mercial designs of the colonial rulers. The present town of Dibru- garh happened to be such a focal point, being close to the unvan- quished/revolting tribes and also economic resources awaiting commercial exploitation. After establishing their suzerainty over tribes with Dibrugarh Town as the headquarters of British military and para-military forces, the rulers set out to fulfil their ultimate objective of commercial exploitation of the rich natural resources. Tea plantation was started which soon began yielding good re- turns to the British capital invested. Coal mining and oil drilling operations were also initiated in the nearby places, the success of which further increased the importance of Dibrugarh Town in the eyes of the colonial rulers. It emerged as the most important town next only to Shillong in the old province of Assam.

This study attempts to analyse the process of urbanization of Dibrugarh as a colonial town. Dibrugarh in the present district of the same name was not a place of importance in the ancient and medieval times. It was made the headquarters of the district of Lakhimpur in 1840 which consisted of the present districts of Lakhimpur and Dibrugarh, because it commanded a very strate- gic position. The British took adequate measures for its defence and made it a great military outpost. Meanwhile Dibrugarh came into prominence as a suitable area for cultivation of tea, in which the British were more interested. Plantation of indigenous tea plants in the north-east, first took place at Chabua, a place situated at a distance of only 20 miles from Dibrugarh. Soon after, petro- leum was discovered at Digboi about 50 miles from Dibrugarh. Coal mines at Ledo and Margherita near Dibrugarh added to its commercial importance. Within no time several tea gardens were opened throughout the district. All these greatly enhanced the importance of Dibrugarh and the British therefore developed it as a centre of industrial, commercial and administrative activities.

**Contents and Sample Pages**