Medieval Towns, Traders & Craftspeople

• Types of towns in medieval India — temple towns, trading towns, port towns.
• How trade worked; overland and sea routes.
• Craftspeople — who they were; how they organised.
• Famous medieval trading communities — Chettis, Banjaras, Arab merchants.
• How towns were shaped by rulers, religion, and trade.

Types of towns in medieval India

Temple towns

• A major temple attracted pilgrims from far and wide.
• Pilgrims needed: food, accommodation, cloth for offerings, priests, flower sellers.
• This demand → markets (bazaars) grew around temples.
• Priests, traders, craftspeople settled permanently near the temple.
• Temple itself controlled land; received donations → wealthy institution.
• Hampi (Karnataka) — capital of Vijayanagara Empire; also a pilgrimage centre; described by foreign travellers as one of the most magnificent cities of the world (~15th century).

Trading routes

Overland routes

• Silk Road: linked China → Central Asia → Persia → Europe; India connected through Punjab and Sindh.
• Uttarapatha (northern route): Taxila → Mathura → Pataliputra → Bengal.
• Dakshinapatha (southern route): Deccan plateau trade.
• Banjaras moved goods on bullock-back across these routes; supplied armies too.

Sea routes

• Indian Ocean trade was ancient — monsoon winds made sailing predictable.
• Malabar Coast (Kerala): pepper, cardamom, ivory exported; Arabian horses, gold imported.
• Arab merchants dominated western Indian Ocean trade; many settled in Calicut, Quilon.
• Zheng He (Chinese admiral) visited Indian ports 1405–1433; evidence of China–India maritime trade.
• Coromandel Coast (SE India): cotton textiles exported to SE Asia; gold and spices imported.

Craftspeople

• Craft production was caste-based in India — specific castes specialised in specific crafts.
• Some craft communities:

Craft guilds

• Medieval craftspeople organised into shrenis (guilds) — like professional associations.
• Guild controlled:
  • Quality of goods.
  • Prices.
  • Training of apprentices.
  • Wages.
• Guild also gave loans; managed collective welfare.
• Powerful guilds in south India had their own flags, insignia, even armies.
• Ayyavole guild (based in Aihole, Karnataka) — famous merchant guild; operated across south India and SE Asia; inscriptions record their activities.

Merchants

Impact of trade on towns

• Wealthy merchants built sarais (rest houses) for travellers.
• Mosques and temples built by merchants as acts of piety.
• Havelis (merchant mansions) reflected wealth.
• Multiple languages spoken in port towns — translators (dubashes) were important figures.
• Foreign merchant communities created their own neighbourhoods (like Chinatowns elsewhere) in Indian ports.

Decline of medieval towns

• Mughal decline (18th century) → Delhi, Agra lost importance.
• British colonial trade disrupted Indian manufacturers → deindustrialisation.
• New colonial cities (Bombay, Calcutta, Madras) grew while old trading towns declined.
• Exception: Surat declined as British moved trade through Bombay; Dhaka declined as Bengal muslin was undercut by Manchester mills.

• What is a temple town? How did it develop?
• Name two major medieval sea trade routes and what was traded on them.
• What was a shreni (guild)? What did it control?
• Who were the Banjaras? Why were they important to medieval rulers?
• Name two port towns of medieval India and explain their importance.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Medieval Towns & Trade.