Solution
During the eighteenth century, urban centres saw the following
transformations:
i. Delhi and Agra declined in prominence as Mughal authority declined. Regional capitals such as Lucknow, Hyderabad, Seringapatam, Poona, Nagpur, Baroda, and Tanjore have grown in prominence as regional powers have grown.
ii. Changes in trade networks have an impact on the development of metropolitan centres. European firms have established commercial centres in Panaji (Portuguese), Masulipatnam (Dutch), Madras (British), and Pondicherry (French). As commercial activity flourished, communities built up around these trading hubs. By the end of the eighteenth century, Asia's land-based empires had been supplanted by the strength of the sea.
iii. Commercial centres such as Surat, Masulipatnam, and Dhaka fell as a result of the East India Company's growth of commerce, while colonial port towns such as Madras, Calcutta, and Bombay emerged as the new economic capitals. They also served as colonial administration and political power centres. In terms of population, these cities grew to become India's largest.
iv. In India, certain local authorities linked with Mughal authority established new urban settlements such as the qasbah and ganj.