Walled City of Amritsar- Urban Development Over Time

Abstract

Cities exist in both time and space. Their shape and appearance are influenced by their past history, current function, and, to some extent, projected future development. Every city bears evidence of its growth and history on its face to some extent. The Indian traditional city has undergone a slew of evolutionary changes, upheavals, and disruptions as a result of being subjected to extreme variations in sociopolitical, cultural, and economic conditions throughout history. It can be seen that ancient cities had a stable urban form that preserved the city's functions until the 19th century. With the advent of the industrial age, the overall stability of urban form in old cities began to wane. From this point forward, Indian traditional cities were subjected to a new type of development, one that was different in size, scale, and momentum, upsetting the critical equilibrium of the city organism. As a result, the traditional Indian city became a discontinuous and fragmented space with a lack of urban coherence and cultural identity, destroying the historic city's image.

Introduction to Amritsar

Amritsar, the city of the Golden Temple and the holiest place of Sikhs, founded in the 16th century and located on the India-Pakistan border, is an excellent example of a traditional city that has undergone many evolutionary changes as a result of social, economic, political, and cultural changes over time. Amritsar is a significant and religious destination in Punjab. It is a significant location in Sikh history and culture. The city has a land area of 140 square kilometers, a population of 1183705 people, and a population density of 8314 people per square kilometer, according to the 2011 census. The goal of this research is to establish a relationship between time and city, as well as to comprehend its morphology and development.

Periods of Development

Periods of Development of Amritsar City.
 (Historical Analysis of Urban Dynamics of Traditional Indian City- Sarbjot Singh Behl (January 2019) (GNDU)

Amritsar's physical growth and development has been fraught with ups and downs. This physical development has been divided into different periods based on the different rulers who ruled the city and brought about changes in its physical development.

Up until 1764, the country was in a state of anarchy. This period is notable for its extensive destruction, as both the temple and the town were destroyed during this time. The Mughals had previously attacked the city numerous times, resulting in a period of destruction. During the years 1765-1802, the city was ruled by Sikh Misls. Various developments occurred during this time period, including Katras (neighbourhoods), forts, gardens, tanks, havelis (houses with courtyards), and bungalows (rest houses). They still exist and exhibit the traditional way of life, values, and lifestyles, as well as intangible heritage.

The next period began in 1802-49, during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (the Golden Period). During this time, many areas developed that have a traditional character, such as walls, gates, forts, gardens, akharas (learning centres), and so on. The town's expansion was limited by the walls, which prevented horizontal expansion. It began to grow vertically (not more than 3 storeys). Narrow lanes connected with houses belonging to a specific group of people with the same profession, trade, or caste, a characteristic of the walled city. All of these characteristics contribute to the formation of values and social relations. These show Mohallas with caste, occupation and religious background and thereby the concept of community feeling is visible in these areas.

Ariel view of  Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) and nearby dense Mohalla settlements. 
(Google Earth)

The next period, from 1849 to 1947 (British Period), is marked by numerous developments. The majority of the construction took place outside the city's walls. Housing designs evolved from row housing to detached bungalows with adequate space in the form of setbacks. The western side's walls and gates were demolished, and the moat was filled in. The gates on the western side were rebuilt entirely by themselves. During this time, the city's physical growth began to expand beyond its walls. These new developments were based on modern urban planning principles and techniques, and thus had an impact on people's way of life, lifestyles, values, and so on.

Creation of Civil Lines during British Raj 
(Author)

The most recent period runs from 1947 to 2011. This is a critical period because major redevelopment projects are being undertaken during this time, and many unplanned and planned areas have appeared on the map of this city, each with their own set of problems and prospects. However, the redevelopment projects were a major setback to the city’s -built heritage. Not only in this city, but throughout the country, redevelopment is equated with demolition in its most limited sense. As a result, many heritage areas, such as traditional bazaars and Mohallas (residential clusters) of the walled city, have been lost.

Socio- Physical, Structural,& Morphological Attributes of Stable Urban Form of Walled City

Socio-Physical Attributes for Development-

Institutions play an important role in urban development. Harmandir Sahib is the key structure in Amritsar's plan due to its geographic location and role as the city's starting point. The Golden Temple was a multifaceted organization. Katra (Residential neighborhoods and marketplaces- for commercial and common lives) sprouted up outside Harmandir Sahib. The town was divided into quarters, each with a sub-religious center, often with a local provision market, and always with its own local water supply, a well or a fountain; however, as the town grew, the quarters may have become sixths, or even smaller fractions. However, it was still centered on the Golden Temple, which served as the central religious autonomy for all small Katras. As with the city's early development, the market settled near the Harmandir because that is where the residents congregated the most. This decentralization of the city's essential social functions not only prevented institutional overcrowding and unnecessary circulation, but also kept the entire town in scale- small structures, small numbers, and intimate relationships.

Development of Katra (Residential around Harmandir Sahib
Historical Analysis of Urban Dynamics of Traditional Indian City- Sarbjot Singh Behl (January 2019) (GNDU)

Structural Attributes (Streets)-

The source of the organic curves in Amritsar was the emphasis on its central core. The essential fact of the city was that all the streets converge on central point and contour was generally circular. 

Streets converging at the core.
(Author)

Morphological Attributes-

The Centroidal form of Harmandir Sahib had the inherent potential to dominate the space around, and also by virtue of its central location from where the city expanded outwards. But since the ideology of Sikh faith was not to inspire awe but take everyone in its fold with humility, the dominance inherent in the Centroidal form was played down by locating the shrine at the lowest point in city’s tomography. A pattern of spatial contrast exists between the sacred space and its environs to create an image of order being wrested from the chaos of surroundings.

The Development originates from the Harmandir Sahib in radial pattern.
(Historical Analysis of Urban Dynamics of Traditional Indian City- Sarbjot Singh Behl (January 2019) (GNDU)

British Implications

One of the early measures of the British administrators of Amritsar was to remove its fortifications. All the bastions and all the walls were demolished. A new wall only a few feet thick was constructed, leaving only a few gates intact. During British period the location of urban, commercial and transport modes just next to the outskirts of the old city became newly created magnet for the urban development outside the walled city. This tension caused conflicts in movement, activity and built form within the realm of religious center.

Socio- Physical, Structural,& Morphological Attributes of Unstable Urban Form of Present City

Loss of Enclosure-

A spatial contrast pattern between the central core (Harmandir Sahib) and the periphery is required to achieve the qualitative differences between the formally ordered religious center and clustered neighborhood living. The Golden Temple is separated from its surroundings by an undisturbed open space.

Because all perspective effects require sufficient visibility, any organic relationship between open space and its enclosure is rendered impossible. Creating a void around the building has prevented it from blending in with its surroundings. A uniform and monotonous expanse of space surrounding the Golden Temple has also demolished the hierarchy of public spaces that surrounded the central shrine. The main public square, Ghantaghar Chowk, in front of the main entrance, has now merged with the indiscriminate open space all around, destroying the sense of arrival at God's abode.

Loss of Cohesion- 

The historic core was distinguished by the principle of formal coherence, which represented wholeness. Adopting a common architectural vocabulary of Sikh architecture results in a coherent group of visual features that form a coherent whole. The modular unity of this type of architectural expression has been lost as a result of the demolition of a rich architectural heritage-built form near the Golden Temple.

Approach towards Restructuring Historic Core of Amritsar Walled City

To effectively preserve the historic essence of the walled city, development guidelines and processes for preserving the traditional form and order are required. This can be accomplished by –

• Re-define and re-establish the historic core's significance in Amritsar's contemporary city.

• Develop comprehensive redevelopment projects with the explicit goal of preserving traditional forms.

• Self-sufficiency development program based on public-private partnership

Importance of Harmandir Sahib in Walled City. 

Delineation of Historic Core as Heritage Zone

A heritage conservation zone, defined as an area of special architectural, historical, and cultural interest, should be incorporated into the city's master plan. The built form, open spaces, road network, and infrastructure in this zone should be guided by a strong concern for preserving the area's heritage value. The incorporation of elements from Amritsar's architectural vocabulary into the building’s aids in this transition.

Using elements of Sikh Architecture into facades.

Pedestrian friendly streets.

Pedestrian friendly streets.

References

• Historical Analysis of Urban Dynamics of Traditional Indian City- Sarbjot Singh Behl (January 2019) (GNDU) 

•  Study of Amritsar- Ranvindar Singh Sndhu (March 2013) (HUDCO)

• Impact of Urban Transformations on Traditional Crafts: Amritsar’s Historic Core- Niyati Jigyasu (January 2019)

• Documentation- Walled City- Documentation of Amritsar Historic core by students of GNDU (January 2020)