Urban Morphology in the Developing World

(Indian Context with Bazaar and Port-Based Models)

Now that we’ve understood the origin-based classification of Indian cities, it’s time to explore two unique morphological models that help us understand how urban centres in India and other developing regions (especially in parts of Latin America) have evolved:

• The Bazaar-Based Model
• The Port-Based Model

These models are especially useful because the classical Western models (like Burgess’ Concentric Zone Model) do not accurately reflect the ground realities of cities in the Global South, including India.

Let’s understand each one in detail.

Bazaar-Based Model

Think of a traditional Indian city like Jaipur, Lucknow, Varanasi, or even old parts of Delhi. The centre of the town is not a Western-style CBD (Central Business District), but rather a bazaar.

👉 What is a Bazaar?

A bazaar is a traditional marketplace, deeply rooted in India’s ancient and medieval urban history. It serves as a multi-functional urban core, quite different from the high-rise, formal CBDs described in Western models.

✅ Key Features of the Bazaar-Based Model:

1. Mixed Land Use:
   • The bazaar is not just commercial; it also serves residential and sometimes even religious or administrative functions.
   • Typically, you will see shops on the ground floor and residences on the upper floors (mostly 1 or 2-storey buildings).
2. Lack of Verticality:
   • Unlike modern CBDs with tall skyscrapers and corporate towers, bazaars are horizontal, low-rise spaces.
3. Specialised Traditional Products:
   • Bazaars tend to focus on textiles, handicrafts, spices, groceries, etc., rather than branded consumer goods or office complexes found in malls.
4. Congestion and Neglect:
   • Over time, most of these bazaars have become highly congested, overpopulated, and infrastructure-deficient.
   • During the British era, these old centres were neglected, as colonial powers preferred to create new spaces (like Civil Lines) rather than modernise traditional ones.
   • Consequently, even today, many bazaars lack basic amenities like proper sanitation, waste disposal, and traffic management.
5. Spatial Segregation Around Bazaar:
   • Just outside the bazaar area, you’ll typically find:
     • Low-income dwellings,
     • Occupational segregation (e.g., potters in one lane, weavers in another),
     • And areas developed during colonial times as “modern extensions”—often better planned.
6. Co-existence with Old Nobility:
   • Interestingly, in many cases, the bazaar is not just a poor man’s space.
   • You’ll also find wealthy, traditional families (zamindars, traders) who have lived there for generations, retaining a kind of social prestige.

In summary, the bazaar-based model reflects an organic, indigenous pattern of urban growth with mixed functions, traditional architecture, and social layering—all shaped over centuries.

Port-Based Model

Now let’s move to the colonial urban morphology, especially visible in cities like:

• Kolkata (Calcutta)
• Mumbai (Bombay)
• Chennai (Madras)
• Pondicherry

These are known as port cities—urban centres that developed due to colonial trade and military strategy.

✅ Key Features of the Port-Based Model:

1. Colonial Foundations:
   • These cities were first established by European powers (British, French, Portuguese) as trading posts or factories.
   • Gradually, they evolved into fortified centres, with ammunition dumps, barracks, and defensive walls.
2. The Fort-Focused Urban Core:
   • The central feature was a fort (e.g., Fort William in Calcutta, Fort St. George in Chennai).
   • These forts were often surrounded by:
     • “Fort extensions” for administration,
     • And large open grounds called maidans, which allowed visibility in case of attack.
3. Dual CBD Structure:
   • These cities had two distinct central business districts:
     • A European CBD (with well-planned commercial and administrative buildings),
     • And a native bazaar (less organised, more congested).
4. Residential Segregation:
   • There was a strong racial and spatial segregation:
     • European quarters had wide roads, landscaping, lighting, and sanitation.
     • Native areas were often overcrowded, poorly serviced, and unhygienic.
5. Railway Colonies and Civil Lines:
   • The colonial administration built special residential areas for officers—civil lines and railway colonies—designed with proper urban planning.
   • These were physically and socially separated from the native city.

In effect, the port-based model reflects a colonial pattern of city-building—driven by trade, militarism, and racial hierarchy.

✅ Key Takeaway:

Together, these two models—bazaar-based and port-based—help us understand the non-Western urban morphology seen in many parts of India and the developing world:

Feature	Bazaar-Based Model	Port-Based Model
Origin	Ancient/Medieval Indian cities	Colonial trade centres
Urban Core	Bazaar (traditional marketplace)	Fort and European CBD
Architecture	Low-rise, mixed-use buildings	European-style buildings, civil lines
Segregation	Caste/class-based within native society	Racial segregation (European vs. native)
Planning	Organic, unplanned	Deliberate, militaristic, and hierarchical
Infrastructure Status	Congested, poor sanitation	Well-planned European zones; neglected native areas

🧠 Final Reflection:

Understanding Indian urban morphology requires going beyond Western models. India’s cities are shaped by a fusion of traditional patterns and colonial imprints. Models like bazaar-based and port-based urban forms help us better explain these hybrid realities.