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1. Introduction

Objectives

Overview

2. Key Concepts

Different Towns

Large Villages Become Small Towns

Different Traders

Different Towns, Different Crafts

Regional Development

New Towns and Traders

3. Check your understanding

Quiz

4. Did You Know?

Interesting Facts

Dateline

Classroom Activities

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Chapter 6 - Towns, Traders And Craftspersons

Our Pasts - II

Different Towns

In the medieval times (between the 8th and the 18th centuries), there were temple towns, administrative centres, commercial towns famous for arts and crafts, and port towns. Moreover, some big towns and cities were famous for more than one of those things.

Administrative Centres, Temple Towns, Pilgrimage Centres

Thanjavur, situated on the banks of river Kaveri in Tamil-Nadu, was the capital of the Chola dynasty a thousand years ago.

It was a busy commercial town with markets for grains, spices, cloth, and jewellery. And water was supplied to its people and visitors from big wells and tanks.

Its ARCHITECTURE included different temples and palaces with 'mandapas' (pavallions) that were used by kings to hold courts and CARRY out their administrative affairs. But they were also used as prayer halls, and some even housed RELIGIOUS dancing and music concerts.

So Thanjavur is also an example of a temple town, where urbanisation (the process by which cities grow) happened as temples became central to society and economy